


Grounded in Love

by katie_049



Series: Grounded in Love [1]
Category: Chicago Fire
Genre: F/M, Season 9 AU, Slow Burn, What-If, brettsey
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-08
Updated: 2020-10-19
Packaged: 2021-03-03 21:47:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 17
Words: 75,022
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24612514
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/katie_049/pseuds/katie_049
Summary: What if Sylvie wasn't able to convince Scott to take Amelia?A story in which Sylvie tries to navigate her new life with Amelia and Matt is her biggest supporter.Post 8x19 AU
Relationships: Sylvie Brett/Matthew Casey
Series: Grounded in Love [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2036194
Comments: 620
Kudos: 594





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys,  
> I decided to dip my toes into a new fandom lately, so bear in mind that this is my first Brettsey story. Please be gentle with me. This is just an idea that popped into my head late at night and I wanted to play with it a little.  
> English is not my native language, so I'm looking for a beta reader. If you know anyone, let me know!  
> I'll try to update every week on Monday.  
> Let me know what you think!

**April 11th, 2020 ~ Amelia 2 weeks old**

The dining hall in the Columbus Park Refectory was dimly lit from the chandeliers hanging from the high ceiling. The park outside of the round-shaped, industrial windows had been swallowed by the night almost an hour ago when the music had started to play, and a fair amount of the guests had moved to the dance hall next door. The sound of the soft tunes echoed against the brick walls, drowning out the chatter of the remaining guest sprawled across the room.

Sylvie Brett was sitting quietly in her designated seat at table three, staring at her name card on the round table. The black ink was written in neat, cursive font with just the right amount of swirl to still easily read it. It looked elegant, just like the rest of the wedding décor, and the young paramedic added it to the list of things she needed to compliment Chloe on.

Joe and Chloe’s wedding reception was in full swing, but Sylvie felt her mood drop. The entire day, she had pretended to be fine. She had laughed and smiled with her friends, posing for god knows how many pictures, even though she had felt miserable.

Nobody had seemed to notice as everyone was wrapped up in the wedding bliss, enjoying the happy and light atmosphere in the room. Severide and Stella, who were sitting at the same table as her, were attached at the hip, whispering and laughing quietly together all day, making Sylvie feel like an intruder whenever she tried to join in on their conversation. Adding to her misfortune, Emily Foster was sitting at a different table at the other end of the room, separating Sylvie from her partner and friend, keeping her out of her sight completely. Emily always knew how to lighten up her mood, but apart from a few brief conversations at the buffet and the bar, the blonde had rarely seen her.

Her only constant today had been Matt Casey. He seemed to have glued himself to her side, never leaving her for more than a few minutes. He hovered over her like a mother hen, and if anyone else had acted that way, she would have felt annoyed, but with Matt, it caused a totally different feeling.

She enjoyed his company. He had a calming effect on her, making the whirlwind of emotions in her head just a little better, all while stirring up some more feelings, she wasn’t ready to admit just yet.

His constant presence could easily be blamed onto their bridesmaids and groomsmen duties, but Sylvie knew it was more than that. He had seen right through her act, waiting for her to tell him what bothered her. The fact that he didn’t push her, just made her appreciate him a little more.

Biting her lip, Sylvie glanced over to him. He was currently talking to Capp and Tony next to him about the upcoming baseball season this year, unaware of her gaze. His jacket hung over the back of his wooden chair, and he had pushed the white sleeves of his dress shirt up to his elbows in a rather neat fashion. One of his arms was laying over the back of her chair, his hand hanging loosely down the side of the low backrest. He wasn’t touching her, but if he’d move his fingers just the tiniest bit, they would come into contact with the bare skin low on her shoulder blade. She could feel the heat radiating off him, and it was a welcome sensation on her chilled skin.

Even though he was partially turned away from her and wasn’t able to see her face, he seemed to sense her looking at him as he turned his attention back to her, stopping his conversation with Capp and Tony. Shifting around in his chair, he turned his back to the other men, moving his focus back entirely on her.

They locked eyes for a few seconds, before his thumb skimmed lightly over the bare skin on her shoulder blade, the feather-light touch leaving a burning sensation in his wake.

“You wanna dance again?” Matt asked in a soft voice, his lips tugged upwards. He looked even more handsome than usual, if that was possible.

“Nah, I’m fine. We don’t have to dance, if you don’t want to,” she replied, averting her gaze onto her hand that was picking at the white napkin next to her plate.

“I wouldn’t ask you, if I didn’t want to,” he chastised her gently, leaning closer to her. “And I know I might not be the best dancing partner around, but I feel like I got the slow swaying done pretty nicely earlier.”

It was true. They had danced earlier, right after Joe and Chloe had shared their first dance as husband and wife, and Matt had gracefully moved her over the dance floor without stepping onto her toes even once.

“No, Matt, you’re a good dancer, I just never pegged you as one before,” she corrected him, looking back up to him. His eyes were still focused on her, and a smile spread across his face.

“I would really enjoy dancing with you again.” He tipped his head to the side, before quietly admitting, “Even though I’m not much of a dancer most of the time.”

A soft laugh escaped her lips, and she softly shook her head.

“Alright, come on then,” he encouraged her, standing up and stretching his hand out to her.

She only hesitated for about three seconds, before she grabbed his hand and let him pull her to her feet. His warm hand felt almost clammy in her cold one, but she couldn’t seem to care less as he maneuvered them through the tables and into the adjoining dance hall without letting go of her hand.

The dance hall wasn’t quite as large as the dining hall, with just two ceiling-high industrial windows on each side, but it offered enough space for a small stage area where the band was located and the dance floor itself. Quite a few people had gathered on the dance floor and Matt stopped them on the edge, away from the center where she could see Stella and Severide and a few of their other friends dancing.

The band was still playing slow, soft tunes, inviting everyone for some good old-fashioned standard dancing. They would probably start with more upbeat music soon, and Sylvie realized that this was her last chance tonight to dance with Matt.

The firefighter had pulled her closer to him, one of his arms going around her, his hand coming to rest low on her back, while his other hand had stayed in hers. They were closer than what was considered appropriate these days, but his close proximity was exactly what she needed right now.

They started to sway with the music and for a while nobody said anything, but with each beat that echoed through the room, Matt seemed to hold her a little tighter, pulling her closer until his cheek rested against her head.

“Scott decided not to take the baby,” she blurted out against Matt’s neck, her voice barely audible. Her grip on his shoulder tightened. Hearing the words was making it more real, and she felt like crying. Every muscle in her body tensed as she tried to keep it together.

“Hey, take a deep breath,” the firefighter whispered, his hand stroking up and down her lower back a few times as he continued to sway them softly. “I didn’t know you went back to the hospital after shift. I would have come with you, if I’d known.”

She sucked in some air, letting it out slowly, before she started, “I try to go as often as I can. It’s just… she is all alone there. She doesn’t have anyone visiting her, and that’s just a sad way to spend the first few days of her life.” The paramedic sighed. “Anyway, when I arrived today Scott was there, so I tried to talk with him again, but he barely listened. He said he made up his mind.”

“And what does he want?”

“He wants me to take her, or he’s gonna give her up for adoption. She reminds him too much of Julie, and he thinks he can’t give her the life she deserves. Apparently, she was a surprise, and he never actually wanted children before,” she huffed, locking her jaw. “How can he not want that little girl? She’s such a sweet and happy baby, I don’t think I’ve seen her cry more than two times. She’s perfect.” 

“Well, I can see how they didn’t plan for her. I don’t think anyone plans to have a baby in their late forties,” Matt reasoned, and she pulled her head away from him, looking up to him. “I would be scared too. A child is a big responsibility. While he’s probably financially more stable than any young parent, he’s also not going to get any younger. Babies are a lot of work.”

“So, you’re agreeing with his decision?” She asked perplexed.

“No, I’m just saying that it’s a big decision for him with several factors contributing,” he pointed out, locking eyes with her. “Raising a kid is the commitment of a lifetime.”

“You’d never hesitate, if you were in his shoes,” Sylvie objected, regretting her words after seeing the flash of painful memories in his eyes. He actually did never hesitate before. “I’m sorry, Matt. I didn’t mean to bring this up.”

“Yeah, I don’t think the lack of kids in my life speaks for good decision-making on my part either.” He pressed his lips into a tight line, averting his gaze from her. “Look, it doesn’t matter what I think. The only other important opinion next to Scott’s is yours.”

She swallowed hard, moving closer to Matt who tightened his grip on her, leaning his cheek back against her head. It wasn’t exactly an easy question and for a minute, she kept quiet, listening intently to the song the band was playing. It was an upbeat, instrumental tune that was too fast for their slow swaying, but Matt didn’t seem to care, and neither did she.

“I don’t think I have much of a choice,” she said, her voice almost betraying her.

“You’ll always have a choice, Sylvie.” His voice was low and raspy, and his breath tickled her ear with each of his words, giving her goosebumps.

“I’m her sister,” she answered weakly. “If I don’t take her, I’m gonna regret it for the rest of my life. I love her so much already, and it’s just the right thing to do.”

“Nobody expects you to always do the right thing. I have no doubt in my mind about you taking care of that little girl. You’re a natural with kids, and you’re going to nail parenting like you do with everything else life throws at you, but nobody will think any less of you, if you decided to not take her. This decision is just as big for you as it is for Scott.”

Her chest tightened at his words, and she felt her eyes water. His reassurance meant the world to her, and for the first time, she felt like she had a choice.

“I meant what I said yesterday, whatever you decide, I’ll be there every step of the way,” Matt promised, giving their linked hands a soft squeeze.

She choked up, swallowing down the tight lump in her throat to suppress the tears that threatened to spill out of her eyes. Her heart was hammering against her ribcage, and she felt lightheaded at his words. He was truly one of her best friends, but in this moment, he was so much more: her closest confidant, her biggest supporter, and the person who anchored her.

“I’m not ready to make this decision. I can’t think straight right now,” she answered honestly, closing her eyes. “Especially not today. I was really looking forward to some nice quality time with all of you guys, and this just put a damper on it.” 

“You want me to get Foster? She seems to have a talent for cheering people up,” Matt offered, turning them so he could look over the dance floor.

“I think I might want to get drunk with her, even though I’ll always come to regret it the next morning,” Sylvie mumbled.

Matt laughed softly. “How about you get drunk with Foster and I’ll make sure you get home alright.”

“That sounds nice.” She sighed, letting her head fall to his shoulder, her face turned into his neck. “But maybe we can stay right here for a little while longer?”

“I’d like that too.”

The soft press of his lips against her hairline made her hyper-aware of their closeness as it stirred up those feelings she tried hard to suppress, but the safe comfort of Matt Casey’s embrace couldn’t make her care less about boundaries or crossed lines.

* * *

Putting the car into park in front of the apartment complex, Matt turned towards the passenger seat where Sylvie and Foster were sitting, both girls dead drunk.

“The car has stopped moving,” Emily acknowledged, looking out of the passenger window. “Look Sylvie, we’re home. The captain brought us home.”

“I can see. Do you see how perfect he is? Always so sweet and considerate,” the blonde cooed, scrunching up her nose and turning to him. Her head fell on his shoulder as she linked her arm through his.

“Alright, ladies. Let’s get you inside,” Matt interrupted their conversation, trying to avoid any more comments from either of them. Drunk Sylvie was pretty darn cute, making it harder for him to resist her, but she wouldn’t remember anything of it tomorrow morning, so he restrained himself.

He opened his door, disentangling his arm from Sylvie’s grip, and jumping out onto the dark street. It was quiet in the neighborhood, the clock reading something after 3 am. They were the last people to leave the reception together with Stella and Severide. Stella had been just as wasted as the two women next to him, and Kelly and he had trouble breaking them apart, resulting in their late departure.

Matt saw Emily fumble around for the door handle on the passenger door, successfully finding it and letting herself out. While the alcohol gave her even more sass, it didn’t mess with her motor abilities as much as it messed with Brett’s. The dark-haired woman landed gracefully on her feet, walking towards the front door in an almost straight line. The blonde paramedic hadn’t moved from her position in the car, wrapped in his suit jacket, so Matt closed his door and walked around his truck to help her out.

“Time to go to bed, Brett,” he called out to her, hoping that her last name would make her comply a little more easily. “Foster is already halfway inside your building, let’s go.”

He reached his hand out to her, and she grabbed it while scooting towards him, not stopping when she reached the end of the seat and tumbling straight into his arms. He broke her fall, planting her onto her feet and looping an arm around her. She leaned into him again, resting her head against his shoulder once more.

“You’re really strong,” she mumbled, closing her eyes, and wrapping both of her arms around his.

Drunk Sylvie was more affectionate than her sober version. It didn’t bother him as he welcomed her touch, showing him that she held back in their normal life and giving him a glimmer of hope for more than just friendship with her.

“It’s a job requirement,” he smiled at her, closing the car door, and turning them towards her building. Foster was already out of sight. “How about we go inside now?”

She nodded, and they made their way into her building and up to her apartment. It took them a while, but about five minutes later, they were standing in her living room, Sylvie still leaning heavily against him.

Matt looked around, but Foster seemed to have already disappeared into her room.

“Let’s get you in bed,” he muttered, pushing her towards her room. “How about you change, and I’ll get you some water?”

He stopped at her door, not waiting for her answer as she shuffled on, moving towards her bed. With one last look at her, he walked backwards towards the kitchen. He could count the amount of times he had been to her apartment on one hand, so it took him a while to find the cabinet where they kept their glasses.

“The Advil is in the first drawer,” Foster’s voice sounded across the room as he poured two glasses with water. He looked over his shoulder to see her scuffling towards him. She had changed into a t-shirt and leggings seemingly ready for bed.

“I was just gonna get some for myself,” she added.

He nodded, opening the drawer, and taking the blister of pills out. Checking the label, he broke it in half, before handing one of the glasses and half of the blister to the paramedic.

“Make sure to drink at least half of it, before you go to sleep,” he reminded her.

She huffed. “I’m not as drunk as I seem. I can still take care of myself.” Turning around, she trotted back towards her bedroom.

“You’re still gonna have one hell of a headache tomorrow,” he chuckled, shaking his head in amusement. He finally understood why Sylvie always told him that Emily was drinking everyone under the table.

“You better take care of your girl back there. She’s a lightweight,” she called out to him, pointing her thumb towards Sylvie’s door before disappearing into her room without waiting for his answer.

He pressed his lips together at her comment, taking the glass and the Advil, and marching back towards the blonde’s room. Pushing the door open with his foot, he looked around the semi-dark space, finding Sylvie laying on her bed, her dress discarded onto the floor, and his suit jacket laying on the chair in the corner. Thankfully, she had put on an oversized shirt that still barely covered half of her thighs, but it was better than nothing.

“Hey, you should drink something, before you fall asleep.” He stepped up to her bed, sitting down on the side of it. She was curled up on her side on top of the blankets, her eyes closed.

“I’m really drunk, Matt,” she slurred, her eyes barely opening and squinting at the low light of the lamp on her nightstand.

He chuckled softly. “I know. That’s why you should drink some water.”

She groaned, pushing herself up on her arms and taking the glass from him. Gulping down a few sips, she moaned softly, before handing him the glass again and falling back onto her bed.

He placed the glass on her nightstand, laying the Advil next to it. “You should get under the covers, otherwise you’re gonna get cold.”

A whine left her lips and she buried her head into her pillow. “I don’t wanna move.”

Matt smiled to himself. “You get really whiny when you’re drunk. Come on, I’ll help you.” He pulled at her blanket as she lifted herself up just the tiniest bit, but it was enough for him to pull the blankets out from under her and cover her with it. When he looked at her again, he was met with her blue eyes.

“You’re mean,” she pouted, pushing out her lower lip, looking damn adorable. “I have had a few really bad days.

He hummed softly, pushing a few strands of hair behind her ear. “I know, and I promise you, it’s gonna get better soon, but now you should sleep.” He stood up, but she reached for his hand, wrapping her fingers around his. 

“You could stay,” she whispered, tugging at his hand with more force than he anticipated, making him stumble closer to her bed again.

Sighing, he perched down on the side of her bed, squeezing her hand gently. “That’s not a good idea. You wouldn’t ask me to, if you were sober.”

“You’re a spoilsport.” The pout reappeared on her face, making the side of his mouth quirk upwards.

“Close your eyes, Sylvie.” This time she complied immediately, shutting her eyes, and letting go of his hand. She snuggled deeper into her pillow, her hand fisting the blanket that was pulled up to her chin.

He leaned down, cupping her cheek, and pressing a kiss against her forehead. His thumb trailed over her soft skin a few times, before he whispered, “Good night, Sylvie.”

Her eyes stayed close, but a content smile covered her face. He couldn’t tear his gaze away from her, so he remained in his seat, watching her until her breaths evened out and he was sure she was asleep.

He was in deep trouble with her. His adoration for her had changed into attraction over the last few weeks, and he was constantly pulled in by her. His feelings were intensifying each day, but instead of feeling scared, he felt a hopefulness blossom in him.

With one last look at her, he got up, quietly making his way out of her room, and softly closing her door. He would check on her tomorrow, but for now he needed to catch up on some sleep too.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright guys, here is the next one! Just a few more things: 
> 
> 1) I don't know much about kinship adoptions and researching it has been quite a hassle. The way the process is displayed in this story is in no way realistic, but as it isn't the focus of the story, I'm kind of skipping over it. 
> 
> 2) I love Emily Foster, but I watched 8x10 before writing this, so don't hate me. It's all gonna make sense at some point. I do have a plan. 
> 
> 3) Thanks to everyone who read and left reviews or kudos! I'm blown away by the feedback! :)

**April 15th, 2020 ~ Amelia 3 weeks old**

The next few days after the wedding were eventful to say the least.

The day after the wedding, she had woken up with a headache from hell. The night before was a complete blur from the moment she had started to do shots with Stella and Emily. Matt had apparently brought her home, the Advil on her nightstand and his jacket laying on the chair in her room told her that much, but she couldn’t recall it happening. Embarrassment and shame had washed over her, mixing with the sadness of Julie’s death and the uncertainty of her sister’s situation. Her nerves had been overwrought, so she had crawled back into her bed, wallowing in self-pity for the rest of the morning.

By noon, she had sobered up and gotten out of bed to take a shower. It had taken her one look into the slightly steamed bathroom mirror after her shower to gather up her strength and pull herself together. She was a grown woman, and while it was totally fine to be down every now and then, her sister needed her right now. The infant couldn’t look out for herself, and Sylvie owed it to her to make a decision.

Sitting down at the kitchen counter, Sylvie had taken out her notebook, writing down every single thought that coursed through her head regarding her situation. When she had finished, there were a lot of fears and worries on her list, but also some positive thoughts that brought her hope. Reading through it again, she had tried to find the positive in all the negative aspects she wrote down, but in the end, she still couldn’t decide. The last thing she had tried was calling her mom to pick her brain about it, and it turned out to be exactly what she needed. After a two-hour FaceTime call with Elizabeth Brett, Sylvie had come to a decision: she was going to take the baby.

In the evening that day, she had met with Scott again at the hospital. Her mind had been clearer than ever, and while she made her own decision, the ideal situation would still have been, if her sister would have gone home with her father. Showing Scott all his options again, she had tried to convince him to take her one last time, emphasizing that he would get all the help he needed, but he hadn’t budged. He had set his mind, and even she couldn’t get him to change it. It had caused her more hurt than she had anticipated, but after a few deep breaths, she had calmed herself enough to tell him about her own decision.

After that, an entire chain of actions followed. They had sat down with the baby’s doctors and a social worker who connected them with an adoption specialist. It had all happened on the same day as Scott was eager to start the process as soon as possible.

During the next few days, she was busier than she had ever been in her life, trying to get everything ready for her sister. Her checklist was getting longer every day, and whenever she was able to cross something off, another thing got added to it.

A major point on her list was the baby’s room. Joe was moving out of their shared apartment now that he was married, giving her the extra room she needed for the baby, but they didn’t plan on it happening that fast. The newlyweds were on their honeymoon and had only cleared out half of Joe’s stuff yet. Sylvie felt bad for rushing him now, but her long-time friend assured her that it was no trouble. He was getting a free move out of it as all of his stuff would be in his new apartment without ever lifting a finger, after the couple came back home. In the end, Sylvie had arranged for the squad team to move Joe’s stuff to his new apartment and the second the guys had taken the last piece of furniture out, Emily and she had started to paint the room, changing the white walls to a dusky pink.

Today, Sylvie had asked Matt, Stella, and Severide to help her move the baby’s stuff from Scott’s apartment into hers. Julie and Scott had already bought everything for the baby, preparing for her sister’s arrival, and it was a huge relief for Sylvie, especially money-wise. Scott wanted her to take everything, giving her the key to his apartment.

It was noon, and as usual, Matt had arrived early. The two of them had started to pack up everything, packing boxes and taking apart furniture for the transport. Just two weeks ago, Sylvie had helped Julie to decorate the room, filling the drawers of the changing table and the closet with everything Julie and Scott had bought for her sister. It felt wrong to take everything apart again, but she vowed to herself to try and set up the baby’s room at her apartment in the exact same way Julie had.

“You’re doing ok over there?” Matt’s voice pulled her out of her thoughts, and she took a deep breath, trying to shake her sadness away.

“Just lost in thoughts, don’t worry,” she played it down, opening the zipper of the bag she had placed on the changing table in front of her.

Matt had checked up on her more times than she could count during the last few days, being a constant fixture in her life. Talking to him was as easy as breathing, and while she felt slightly embarrassed to unload her problems on him over and over again, it also lifted an enormous weight of her shoulders. She valued his opinion and he had a way of finding just the right words to make her feel better whenever she needed it.

Glancing over her shoulder, she watched him as he took two shelves out of the bookcase, setting them on the ground next to him. She couldn’t help but notice how handsome he looked, even though he was just wearing dark jeans and a black t-shirt. Biting her lip, she squeezed her eyes shut, hoping to ban these thoughts out of her head. Now wasn’t the time to change anything else in her life, especially her friendship with Matt. Her sister needed her entire and undivided attention, and she couldn’t risk losing anyone else.

Turning back to the changing table, she cleared her throat. “I went to the hospital this morning,” she started, packing up various items of clothes from one of the drawers of the changing table.

“Oh, how is she doing?” Matt asked her.

“She’s doing good. Scott and I officially named her now. Her name is Amelia. It was Julie’s middle name,” she whispered, sighing softly.

“It’s a beautiful name. I’m glad Scott helped to pick it out. He still doesn’t want to be involved in her life?”

“No, we agreed on yearly updates so far. I know that once the adoption is through, I’m her legal parent, but I still want her to know where she came from.” She laid the last item of clothes into the bag, closing the zipper. “I love my parents, but I always wondered who my birth parents were and why they didn’t want me. I don’t want her growing up like this.”

“I don’t think this is easy for Scott either,” Matt pointed out, closing a box that was standing in front of him. “He lost his wife and doesn’t think he can give Amelia the life she deserves. It doesn’t mean he loves her any less. Seeing her grow up with someone else, could potentially also be hurtful for him.”

Putting the bag of clothes down next to the door, Sylvie lifted her hands to her hips, lowering her head. This conversation turned out way more serious than she intended. “I’m just trying to make this as easy for Amelia as I can, but maybe I’ve stopped considering Scott’s burden in this situation.” She shook her head softly. “I feel horrible. I’m usually not this insensitive.”

“Hey, I didn’t tell you this to feel bad. This isn’t on you.” He walked over to her, laying a hand on her arm. “This isn’t exactly a walk in the park for you either. You’re also a part of the equation.”

She glanced up to him, meeting his eyes. “I just want everything to work out for her.”

“And it will. You’re gonna be great with her. The fact that you’re wracking your brain about it just proves it.” He gave her arm a gentle squeeze. “Trust me with this.”

She nodded, her lips tugging upwards. “Thanks, Matt. I appreciate you listening to all of this. I really do. You’ve been a great friend these last few weeks. I don’t know what I would do without you.”

“Well, you won’t have to find out. I don’t plan on going anywhere,” he promised, sending her another smile.

They had moved closer to each other, something that happened quite a lot lately. Matt was like a magnet that drew her in, and with his hand still on her arm, she couldn’t focus her thoughts. No matter how many times she reminded herself of her resolution to not change anything else in her life right now, Matt was able to make her forget all about it with just one touch. Especially after she had gotten a taste of being in his arms at the wedding.

Dancing with him had felt surreal. The way his strong arms wrapped around her and held her close to him had grounded her and gave her a sense of calm, she hadn’t felt in a long time. At the same time, his unique scent had made her head spin, and her heart beat faster.

It wasn’t any different today with her heart racing inside her chest as they stared into each other’s eyes. His thumb was brushing over her skin, and she stepped closer to him, until a loud knock sounded through the apartment, breaking their stare.

“That must be Stella and Severide,” she blurted out, lowering her gaze onto her shoes, before quickly turning around and marching out of the room to the front door without looking at him again.

She needed to get a grip on her emotions. A tiny part in her cursed herself for ever dancing with Matt in the first place. It made everything that much harder now, but at the same time she couldn’t deny the serenity he gave her with just his proximity, something she longed for these days. Her heart and her head were at war with each other, and it seemed like an endless battle, with both of them fighting hard, not willing to lose to the other.

* * *

Three hours later, Matt, Sylvie, Stella, Severide, and Emily Foster were sitting in the living room of Sylvie and Emily’s apartment, finishing the last slices of pizza. Foster had taken the armchair, comfortably sitting in it, and munching on her last slice while the rest of them had squeezed onto the couch. It was a tight fit with Stella and Sylvie in the middle and Severide and him flanking their sides. Sylvie was pressed against his side, shifting around in her seat, every now and then.

He had tried to give her more space by angling his body towards her and lifting his arm onto the back of the couch, but the second she tried to get more comfortable, their other two friends had taken advantage of the created space, pushing her closer to him. She was leaning against his chest now, more tense than she was before. That hadn’t been his goal.

He wasn’t sure how to interpret her behavior as she didn’t seem to have a problem being this close to him before. If anything, her drunken comment after the wedding had given him hope for their friendship to progress into something more. Maybe the whole adoption process was gnawing at her more than she let on. It worried him.

Glancing down to her, he studied her for a moment. Her arms were crossed in front of her and she was chewing on her lip, her brows furrowed. She was listening to Severide who had just finished his last piece of pizza.

“Who knew that one tiny person could already have so much stuff,” Severide huffed, crumpling his napkin, and throwing it on the table.

“Yeah, I think you’re covered for at least the first year of her life. They thought of everything,” Stella agreed, leaning back against the couch and patting Sylvie’s leg. “You’re still doing ok? Do you need anything else?”

“No, I’ll be fine. You guys have done enough,” Sylvie assured her, giving the other woman’s hand a squeeze. “Remind me to buy you guys a drink next time we’re over at Molly’s.”

“Brett, it’s fine. You’re family,” Severide waved her off, putting his empty beer bottle onto the table.

“I don’t think you’re gonna have the time for beers at Molly’s anytime soon,” Emily piped up, standing up from her seat. “Girls night’s not gonna be the same without you.”

“People can still go out when they have kids, Foster,” Matt argued, focusing on the dark-haired woman in front of him. “And I think I speak for everyone at 51 when I say that it’s not gonna be a problem to look after Amelia when you wanna have a girl’s night.”

“Yeah, but one of us is always gonna be missing if we get together with everyone from shift,” she countered, lifting her hands to her hips.

“Why are you being so negative about this?” Heat flushed through his body and he clenched his jaw. Her outburst came out of nowhere, and it was just the last thing Sylvie needed.

“I’m not,” Foster snapped, her voice louder than before, making Sylvie flinch next to him. “I’m just stating the obvious. Things are gonna change around here, and you’re all acting like it doesn’t matter.”

“You’re blowing this way out of proportion,” he huffed, shaking his head. Sylvie’s hand landing on his leg stopped him from saying more, and he closed his mouth.

“If you have a problem with me taking the baby, you could have told me, Emily,” Sylvie addressed the other woman, drawing circles on his knee. Her gesture immediately calmed his irritated mind, and he felt himself relax into her touch.

“I don’t have a problem with you taking the baby, Brett,” Emily growled, before turning around on her heels and stomping off into the direction of her room. “I’m done with this conversation,” she added, slamming the door to her room shut in the next second.

Sylvie clutched his knee at the loud sound, flinching again.

The room stayed quiet for a long minute, before Stella stood up, sighing, “I’m gonna check on her.” Her boyfriend nodded his head in support, and with a tight smile, the firefighter marched towards the room where the other women disappeared into.

“I don’t get it. I thought she was ok with all of this,” Sylvie whispered in disbelief, leaning forward, and placing her face in her hands. “I can’t believe I misinterpret her behavior too.”

Without a second thought, Matt let his hand fall from the back of the couch to her back, stroking up and down a few times. His other hand reached for hers, intertwining their fingers. “Hey, this isn’t your fault. I shouldn’t have pushed her. I don’t know what got into me.”

Severide snorted softly next to them, and Matt leveled him with a glare. His friend just raised his eyebrows and got up from the couch. Grabbing the empty beer bottles and the pizza cartons, he walked over into the kitchen area.

“It’s gonna be fine, Sylvie. I’m sure Foster has a perfectly good explanation for you later. You know how she is,” he soothed her, his hand drawing circles between her shoulder blades. “Let’s concentrate on getting Amelia home in two days, and I bet the rest is gonna fall into place on its own.”

She lifted her head, hastily wiping at her cheeks. “I wanted to ask Emily to get Amelia with me,” she said bitterly, wrapping her arms around herself, and he could see the storm in her eyes just like a few hours ago when they talked about Scott. “I didn’t want her to be all alone in the back of the car in case she doesn’t like it.”

Loosing their wrapped hands, he pushed a few strands of hair behind her ear, his thumb trailing tenderly over her cheek. “I’ll drive you. Don’t worry about it.”

“You would?” She asked in a low voice, her big, watery, blue eyes staring back at him.

“Of course.” He affirmed, offering her a bemused smile. “I told you I’d be there for you.” Brushing his fingers over her cheek again, he wiped away a few more tears.

Before Sylvie could reply, Stella came back into the room, closing the door to the other paramedic’s room much louder than necessary. It made Sylvie pull away from him, putting some space between them, and Matt had to press his lips together to not snap at Kidd. She had a nag for interrupting their moments.

Running her hands over her cheeks again, Sylvie took a deep breath, standing up from her seat next to him. “Is she ok?” She asked Stella.

“She’s fine. She just needs to cool off a bit,” Stella explained, walking over to her and pulling her into a hug. “How about we go unpack some of the boxes and let the boys go for the rest of the day?”

It sounded like a bad idea for Matt. He didn’t want to leave her alone. To be honest, he’d rather wrap her up in his arms and not let her go, until he could be sure that she was feeling better.

“Thanks, Stella, that sounds good,” the blonde answered, returning her hug and affirming his fear.

“Alright boys, you heard her. You’re free to go,” Stella called out to them, pulling back from Sylvie, but keeping her arm thrown around her shoulder. “I’m gonna see you guys at home later.”

It’s been a while since somebody kicked him out, but Stella Kidd didn’t appear to be joking. Severide was already walking towards the door, grabbing his jacket from the coat hanger and putting it on. Reluctantly, Matt stood up too, watching as Stella leveled him with one more look, before she walked over to her boyfriend, kissing him goodbye.

Matt took it as an opportunity to bid Sylvie goodbye too, crossing the short distance between them. He stopped in front of her, suddenly unsure how to go about it. Hugging her seemed like a bad idea with their friends present and it wasn’t something they usually did either, but he itched to touch her just one more time today. He needed to. It felt silly thinking about it, so he pushed his thoughts away, reaching out and squeezing her upper arm softly.

“If you need anything else, please call me.” He gave her a small smile, before retreating his hand.

In the next second and without warning, Sylvie threw herself into his arms, wrapping her long arms around his middle, fisting his shirt in her hands, and burying her face against his chest. He had to take a step back to balance out her forceful ambush, one arm wrapping around her waist, while he tangled his other fingers into her hair. Her hold on him was tight, and he could feel the tension in her body. More worry bubbled up in him, and he gently carded his fingers through her hair. He even dared to press a kiss to the crown of her head, forgetting all about their friends behind them.

“I can stay, if you want to,” he whispered in her ear, resting his cheek against her head. “Just say the words, and I’ll make both of them leave.” His pulse raced at the thought of her craving his presence and touch as much as he did.

She shook her head against his chest, her hands losing their tight grip on his shirt as she took a few deep breaths. It took her a few more seconds before she pulled away from him.

“I just needed a hug,” she rasped, tugging at her shirt, and squaring her shoulders. “Thank you for today, Matt.”

He wasn’t convinced by her answer, but he didn’t have a choice. Stella was already walking back over to them, taking his place and throwing her arm over the blonde’s shoulder once more.

“Well, I’ll see you tomorrow for shift,” he told her, stuffing his hands into his pockets, and sending her one more smile, before turning his back on her and walking out of the door with Severide.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's Monday guys and I've got a new chapter for you!  
> I'm blown away by your response and I'm glad that you all seem to enjoy the story. I read every single comment and I'll respond as soon as I can. It keeps me motivated, knowing that you like it as much as I do! :)  
> This chapter got away from me, and I actually wanted to write a totally different scene (hint: the car seat check!), but my muse pointed me in a different direction.  
> Anyway, have fun reading it!
> 
> Again, keep in mind that the whole adoption process is not realistic in this story!

**April 17th, 2020 ~ Amelia 3 weeks old**

Rubbing her sweaty palms against her jeans, Sylvie rounded the corner to walk down the familiar corridor of the hospital. She had done so at least a dozen times by now, but today it was different. Today, she was going to walk this hallway for the last time, finally taking Amelia home with her.

Growing up, she had always known what her life would look like. Fowlerton was a tiny town in the middle of Indiana with just a handful of residents. Her parents owned a farm, just like a lot of other families around town. Compared to other towns, Fowlerton had a great community. While there was still the usual small-town gossip, they all stuck together when it mattered. Her parents had taught her the importance of family early on, always emphasizing that family meant more than just sharing DNA. Young Sylvie had taken her parents word, pretending that Annie, her best friend and neighbor, was her sister because her own wish to have a sibling just hadn’t come true yet. When her brother had finally been born, she had been ecstatic and mesmerized by the small human, learning all about babies. She had been six years old at that time too young to fully understand the concept of conception and pregnancy, but the dream of having her own baby slowly emerged in her.

It had only manifested over the years as she saw the older kids around her growing up, leaving for college, coming back engaged and marrying their spouses not long after. They all started their own families, and naturally, Sylvie had envisioned herself doing the same.

Harrison had not only been her high school sweetheart, but he had also been the person who seemed to share those dreams with her. They had often talked about their life, and the logical next steps in the future, and they were always the same: getting married, buying a house, and having kids. She had known that it meant quitting her job as a paramedic to be able to take care of their family, but it had seemed normal and she had never questioned it back then. It was the way of life in Fowlerton.

When Harrison had left her a few weeks before their wedding, her whole world had come crashing down. She hadn’t been able to comprehend what prompted him to leave her this close to the wedding, silently blaming herself in the process. Mortified, she had done the only thing that made sense: leaving Fowlerton. Too ashamed of her failure, she almost hadn’t said goodbye to her parents, only doing so in the last minute.

To her disbelief, her parents had been happy that Harrison left her, and especially her mother pushed her to leave Fowlerton. She had always told her to reach for the stars and not let Fowlerton tie down her entire life, but Sylvie had never listened to her. Hearing those words had hurt Sylvie deep in her soul but thinking about it now only made her feel more grateful for her mother.

Moving to Chicago had shown her that life had so much more to offer. It had taught her that her own needs were important, and she had found a totally new purpose in life. Helping others was her passion, and with her colleagues from 51, she gained a new family, one that gave her a home and made her feel cherished every day without ever having any expectations of her.

Having kids was still something she wanted in her future, but it wasn’t her main goal in life anymore. All of the sudden, her dream got put onto an indefinite hold, one that Kyle couldn’t break when he moved them to Fowlerton.

Today though almost exactly seven years after she left Fowlerton for the first time, her dream became reality, at least partially. She was going to take her baby sister home with her, becoming a parent in the process. Legally, she already was as Scott and her had finalized the adoption process earlier this morning, but the reality hadn’t set in yet.

“On a scale of 1 to 10, how close are you to having a nervous breakdown?” Matt’s voice pulled her out of her thoughts, and she looked over to where he was walking next to her.

He had kept his promise, arriving at her apartment half an hour ago to accompany her to the hospital. As usual, his calm nature had taken some of her nervousness away, but she was still barely able to stop the shaking of her hands.

“Probably an 11,” she squeaked, stopping just a few feet in front of the nurse station. “I’m really doing this, right? I didn’t just hit my head and dreamt up a whole different reality?”

“No, you didn’t hit your head,” Matt clarified, putting the baby’s car seat down on the floor next to him. He softly grabbed her by the shoulders, giving her a light shake. “Sylvie, now is not the time to freak out. You need to take a deep breath and pull yourself together. You got this.” His voice was firm, and it reminded her of his captain voice that never left any room for discussion.

It pulled her out of her trance, and she followed his instructions, taking a deep breath, and closing her eyes for a few seconds.

“I got this,” she whispered to herself, lifting her head and squaring her shoulders. She opened her eyes, meeting Matt’s blue ones. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” He gave her a curt nod, letting go of her shoulders, and picking up the baby carrier again.

Determined, Sylvie resumed her walk towards the nurse station, stopping in front of it. “Excuse me, I’m here to pick up Amelia Brett.”

The nurse looked up from her computer, giving her a friendly smile. “I’m gonna let one of my colleagues know you’re here, until then, I’ll need you to fill out these papers for me.” Nurse Jackie, as her name tag read, handed her a clipboard with a bunch of papers, pointing her to the seating area a few feet away. “Someone will come and get you in a few minutes.”

“Thank you,” Sylvie responded, taking the clipboard, and walking over to sit down. Matt followed her, sitting next to her, and putting down the baby seat in front of him. He leaned back against the plastic chair, throwing his arm over the back of hers as he glanced at the papers in her lap.

“Didn’t you get everything ready with Scott this morning?” He asked curiously.

“I did, these are just her release papers. I have everything else in my back,” she explained absentmindedly, filling out the forms in front of her.

Any other day, she would have gotten herself distracted by his presence, but today her focus laid solely on Amelia. He was still her emotional support, but her undefined feelings for him stayed buried.

“Sylvie!” A female voice called out to her, and she looked up to see Nurse Evelyn walk towards her. “Today is the day, huh? Amelia is all ready to go. I just changed her diaper for the last time.”

Evelyn had been Amelia’s primary nurse during her stay in the hospital. She had taught Sylvie a lot of things like feeding the newborn or giving her a bath. The older woman had been incredibly patient with both Amelia and Sylvie, making sure that both of them were comfortable at all times. It had strengthened the sister’s bond immensely, and Sylvie felt more confident around the baby than she had in the beginning.

“Hi, Evelyn. It’s so nice to see you,” Sylvie greeted her, standing up and hugging the other woman. “I can’t believe I’m taking her home with me today.”

“As much as I love her, she needs to see something other than these four walls,” the nurse declared, pulling back from their embrace. “I see you brought someone for this special day. I don’t think we’ve met.”

Matt stood up immediately, stretching out his hand. “I’m Matt Casey. I’m ...” He stopped, opening and closing his mouth as if he was trying to come up with a sensible definition for their relationship.

“He’s a really good friend of mine and he helped me a lot during these past few weeks,” Sylvie jumped in, smiling up at him. “And he’s also the captain of the firehouse I work at.” 

Matt beamed down at her, his whole face lightening up, and Sylvie could swear he straightened up a bit. She had rarely seen him this joyous, but it was definitely a look that suited him.

“I see,” Evelyn smirked, raising her eyebrows at Sylvie suggestively.

The paramedic’s ears turned red and she leveled the nurse with a pointed look, stopping the older woman from making any more inappropriate comments. 

“Well, how about we go and get your baby now?” Evelyn suggested, turning the attention back to the baby. “I bet she’s gonna be happy to leave this place.” Smiling at them, she turned around and made her way down the corridor.

Sylvie puffed out some air, rubbing her hands together in front of her. This was it. She briefly peered up to Matt who nodded at her calmly as he picked up the car seat again. His other hand landed on her back, giving her a gentle push to follow the nurse.

Together, with Matt’s hand still on her back, they followed Nurse Evelyn through the hallway and into Amelia’s room. Upon entering, Sylvie’s nervousness evaporated completely, and she placed her bag and the papers down on the small table, before she made her way over to the baby’s crib, smiling down at the little girl.

Amelia was wide awake, kicking her legs and arms. She was dressed in the soft pink, long-armed onesie and the gray pants Sylvie had brought the day before, her tiny feet clad in gray socks. It was the outfit Julie had chosen weeks ago and that she had laid out in the baby’s crib. Sylvie had found it when they had moved the baby stuff two days ago, immediately understanding its purpose.

“Hi, sweetness,” Sylvie greeted the baby, standing next to the bed and reaching down to pick her up. “Today is your big day. We’re going home.”

Amelia squirmed in her arms, and Sylvie adjusted her so that she was cradling her against her chest with one arm. Her other hand scratched the baby’s belly softly, before stroking over one of her tiny hands. The newborn grabbed one of her fingers, wrapping her hand around it.

“It’s gonna be you and me from now on, but we’ll manage just fine, right sweet girl?” She whispered, pressing a kiss to the baby’s forehead. “That’s what we Brett girls do best!”

“You’re gonna be great with her, don’t worry, Sylvie,” Evelyn reassured her, before turning to Matt. “You can put the car seat down on the couch and come say hello too. She’s not gonna bite.”

Tearing her gaze away from the baby in her arms, Sylvie looked over to Matt who was still standing by the door, clutching the car seat in his hand, and staring at her with an open mouth. His eyes were filled with warmth, wonder and something else that she was too afraid to name. She couldn’t help the beaming smile that spread across her face as she motioned him with a nod of her head to come closer.

Ignoring the nurse’s instruction, Matt let the car seat glide out of his hand by the door, breaking its fall just before it hit the ground, before he slowly stepped closer, stopping in front of them.

“I just realized you two never actually met,” Sylvie acknowledged, gently tugging her finger out of the baby’s grip. She was standing close to Matt, the arm that was holding Amelia, pressed against his chest. “Amelia, this is Matt. He’s gonna be around a lot, and you’ll have him wrapped around your finger in no time.” Her voice was soft and just a tad higher than usual.

Matt huffed softly, leaning closer to the two of them, reaching his hand out to trace his fingers over the baby’s head. “Hey, Amelia.” His voice was rough with emotions, barely audible, and Sylvie could feel his heart hammering against her arm.

Glancing up to him, her own heart stopped. His eyes were fixed on the baby in her arms, gazing at her with teary eyes that were filled with utter devotion and painful longing. In this moment, Sylvie knew that Matt would move heaven and earth for Amelia and that ignited another kind of hopefulness inside of her, one that made her not be afraid of the future as much.

“Would you like to hold her?” She asked softly, nudging him against the chest.

Without hesitation, Matt lifted his arms, scooping Amelia out of the blonde’s arms just like he had done so a million times. The paramedic’s hand followed the baby until she was snuggly pressed against Matt’s chest. She looked tiny in his arms, her body almost disappearing between his chest and his bulky arms, but she looked like she belonged there.

And Matt looked like he had just been given the most important job in his life. Sylvie had seen him with children before, already familiar with his gentle and caring nature, but seeing him with Amelia made her knees weak, and her words getting stuck in her throat. She hadn’t thought it was possible for the man to be any more attractive, but Matt with a baby in his arm was surpassing her best imaginations. Her eyes were stuck on his face as he smiled down at the baby, his lips tugged upward just the tiniest bit, and his eyes sparkling with pure joy.

The fluttering in her belly slowly spread up her chest, making her heart beat harder against her ribcage, and she had to swallow hard to get rid of the increased moisture in her mouth. Closing her eyes in the process, an image of a sweaty and naked Matt Casey laying over her flashed through her mind. Heat flushed to her cheeks at the inappropriate thought, and she hastily opened her eyes.

A squeaky wail from the baby saved Sylvie from her wandering mind and pulled her focus back to the presence.

“Oh no, sweetness. What’s wrong?” She questioned gently, stepping closer to Matt and brushing her hand over Amelia’s head.

“I think she’s just tired,” Matt told her in a soothing voice, she had never heard him use before. “I got her. How about you start with the paperwork and I’ll try to get her to sleep?”

His words pulled her right back into her fantasy, transforming it from their intimate copulation to a lazy Sunday morning in bed with Amelia laying between them.

With her eyes focused on Amelia, she once again willed her thoughts away, nodding her head, before pressing a kiss to the baby’s head. Not answering seemed to be the safer option, so she turned her back to Matt, walking over to Evelyn who stood a few feet away from them by the small table, arms akimbo.

“A good friend of yours, huh?” The nurse chastised her jokingly, shaking her head. “You’re in a lot of trouble with this one, Sylvie. If my good friends looked at me like that, I would have jumped them already.”

“Evelyn!” Sylvie hissed, slapping the nurse’s arm. “He’s literally in the same room.” She glanced over her shoulder to Matt, who was bouncing across the room towards the window and away from them. He seemed too preoccupied to care about their conversation.

“Please, he only has eyes for that little girl of yours. Seems like he has a thing for you Brett girls, and you might actually have some competition,” Evelyn pointed out, reaching her hand out and patting Sylvie’s shoulder. “Just promise me you won’t forget that you’re still allowed to find your own happiness. Being a single parent is taxing, and if you find someone who’s willing to share this responsibility with you, you shouldn’t don’t turn them away.”

Biting her lip, Sylvie lowered her head. “Look, all of this is a little more complicated as it seems, and I can’t do complicated right now. I need to focus on Amelia.”

Evelyn exhaled loudly, pressing her lips into a tight line. “I will let it go for now, but don’t you think you heard the last of this.” The nurse shook her head, nodding to the documents laying in front of them on the table. “How about we go through this so you can finally leave this place?”

“That sounds fantastic,” Sylvie agreed, sitting down at the small table. “Just tell me what you need.”

Leaving the hospital seemed like the best option for her to separate herself from her feelings from Matt. She really needed to get a grip on her emotions, otherwise she’d be in big trouble.

* * *

Taking a sip of his beer, Matt looked around the dimly lit room. He was sitting at one of the tables at Molly’s, tucked away in the back of the bar, just looking for some quiet time after the eventful day.

Getting Amelia with Sylvie from the hospital had affected him more than he would have thought possible. Seeing Sylvie with the baby in her arms had stirred up a painful longing, he had swallowed down for the last years. It reminded him of the Dearden boys, Gabby’s miscarriage and Louie, and how he lost all of them. He knew he wasn’t at fault; it was just his luck.

Maybe he wasn’t destined to have kids; it was definitely something that had crossed his mind. Something that he had been slowly getting to term with. He wasn’t getting any younger, and with his job, dating was hard. Dating in general was something he didn’t enjoy. It was straining and annoying, getting to know someone new all over again, so he found himself giving up on the concept of fatherhood.

Today though, when he had held Amelia in his arms, he willed himself to just be a little more patient. Giving up on his dreams suddenly seemed too soon, the baby in his arms being the best example for a sudden surprise parenthood.

The little girl was almost the spitting image of her sister when she was a baby, and he instantly fell in love with her. How couldn’t he, when deep down he knew how he felt about her sister?

“Hey, man. How did it go today?” Kelly Severide asked as he sat down opposite of him, placing his own beer on the table before him. Matt hadn’t even seen his friend walking over, too lost in his thoughts.

“It was fine. We went to the hospital, picked Amelia up and then I drove them home,” Matt responded, putting his beer down onto the table. For him, of course, it was much more than that. It had been a special day for both Sylvie and Amelia, one of many firsts in their future, and he was glad he had been part of it.

“How’s Brett doing with all of this?”

“A little nervous I guess,” Matt shrugged, shaking his head. “She made me check the car seat base at least two more times before she let me finally latch the car seat in.”

“Didn’t you guys install it together yesterday on shift?” Kelly raised his eyebrows.

“We did. She was just being extra careful today. She doesn’t wanna mess this up,” Matt explained, taking another sip of his beer. “She even made me carry the car seat to the car and up to the apartment, even though she’s perfectly capable of doing this herself.”

“Huh, that doesn’t sound like Brett. You think she’s up for this?” The squad lieutenant asked, resting his arms on the table.

“Sylvie is the last person to give up. Her determination will get her through this, and once she settles into a routine, she’ll be fine,” Matt affirmed, a small smile spreading over his lips.

He didn’t mind carry Amelia around in her seat. It only showed how much Sylvie trusted him, and he had been a little proud when he saw the looks of the people around them as they left the hospital together. Matt knew they had all mistaken them for a couple who was just taking their newborn home, but he liked that idea.

“So, what’s going on between you and Brett?” Severide’s tone stayed casual, but the smirk on his lips told Matt the true nature of his question.

Honestly, Matt had been waiting for Kelly to ask him about Sylvie for weeks. His friend had often given him questioning or knowing looks whenever she had come up in their conversation or when Kelly had seen them interact together. The long wait had provided Matt with more time to think about an appropriate answer, but he was still coming in blank.

Leaning back against his chair, he crossed his arms in front of him, puffing out some air. “Sylvie and I are just friends. I don’t think she’s in the right mindset for anything else right now. Her focus needs to be on Amelia.”

“But you want more with her?” His friend pushed him, spinning his bottle on top of the table.

The low, deep scratching helped Matt tune out the chatter around them as he leaned forward again, nervously grabbing his beer bottle, and picking at the label. “What I want doesn’t matter,” Matt countered, focusing his eyes on the blue label under his fingers. “She has enough on her plate with the baby. She doesn’t need me questioning or changing our friendship.”

“So, you want something more with her?” Kelly clarified, his hand tapping the table in front of Matt.

“I do,” Matt confessed quietly, nodding his head in affirmation. “I have for a while now.” Saying the words out loud, lifted a weight off his chest, he didn’t know he was carrying.

“Then why haven’t you made a move yet?”

The disbelief in his friend’s voice made Matt looked over to him, catching his eyes. “Because the timing wasn’t right.”

“What’s that supposed to mean? The two of you have spent so much time together the last few months, there must have been a moment where you could have asked her,” Severide huffed, bending his neck forward and raising one eyebrow.

“I tried asking her out almost a year ago, before the fire at the mattress factory and the chaplain proposed to her, but I got interrupted by Hermann,” he started, pressing his lips into a tight line. “After she left, I thought I lost my chance, and even when she came back things were weird. Then Gabby suddenly appeared, and Sylvie all but pushed me to go to that gala with her. And just a few weeks later, Julie appeared.” He rambled on, averting his gaze back onto his hands.

“Man, you’ve got it bad,” his friend chuckled, scratching his jaw. “I can’t believe you’ve been hiding this from me for this long.”

“I haven’t been hiding anything. You never asked me,” Matt grumbled, ripping the blue label, which had come undone upon his picking, of his bottle.

“Well, what are you gonna do about it now?”

“Nothing. I can’t burden her with anything else right now. She needs to concentrate on her new responsibilities as a parent, and she definitely doesn’t need a new relationship in the mix.” He sighed, giving his friend a halfhearted shrug. “I’ll just be her friend.”

“That sounds awful,” the other man exclaimed, leaning over the table and slapping his arm. “Casey, you gotta do something. You can’t let someone like Brett slip through your fingers!”

“Don’t you think I know that?” He scoffed, bending his head down and rubbing the back of his neck. “My hands are tied, Kelly.” He let his hands fall flat onto the table, shaking his head. “I can be her friend and help her adjust to this new situation now, and maybe in a few months, when things have settled down, I can ask her out.”

“You’re setting yourself up for heartbreak, Matt,” the squad lieutenant acknowledged dryly.

Squaring his jaw, Matt emptied his beer in one go, slamming it back down onto the table. He was about done now with this topic. Thinking of Sylvie usually brought him good thoughts, making him happy in the process, but he knew his friend’s words held some truth.

If Sylvie didn’t reciprocate his feelings when he asked her out in a few months, she would break his heart. He already had about enough heartbreak to last him a lifetime, and one more could possibly be the last straw to break the camel’s back, but something in his gut told him that Sylvie wouldn’t do that to him.

The way she smiled at him, and continuously looked for his assurance and proximity, made him hope that she felt the same. And if anything, he had to hold on to that hope because god help him; he was too far gone for her already.

“Can we please switch the topic now?” He growled, getting up and taking his empty beer bottle. “Do you wanna have another too?”

His friend just nodded, sliding his own bottle closer to the edge of the table. “Just be careful.”

With one last look at his friend, Matt grabbed his bottle, making his way over to the bar, hoping to forget about their conversation.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Get ready for lots of cute moments with baby Amelia in this one! It's just tooth-rooting fluff, but I know you're all gonna enjoy it. Anyway, if you have time, go to Instagram and look through the hashtags #firedad and #firefighterfamilies, then you'll know where I get my inspiration for Matt and Amelia from! :)
> 
> Thanks to everyone who has been reviewing. It's greatly appreciated.

**April 22nd, 2020 ~ Amelia 4 weeks old**

Attaching the last clip to her shoulder, Sylvie pulled the fabric of the baby carrier to the side to check on Amelia.

“Alright, sweets, we’re ready for your first visit to the station,” she whispered, taking the diaper bag out of the car, and hanging it over her shoulder, before closing the door. “You’re probably gonna get a lot of cuddles and love, so let’s be on our best behavior. No pooping while we’re in there.”

Amelia was wide awake, staring into the distance, snuggled close to her chest in the baby carrier. She didn’t seem to pay attention to her talking, preoccupied with something that must have caught her eyes.

The weather had been nice the last few days, the temperature rising slowly with spring arriving in Chicago. Sylvie had taken Amelia out a few times now, most of the time in the stroller as they roamed around their neighborhood, enjoying the fresh air. It also gave her a break from being hollowed up inside all day. She wasn’t used to being at home that much.

Walking along the sidewalk, she hummed softly when the familiar red roller doors of 51 came into sight. The space in front of the station was bustling with energy as her fellow firefighters from truck 81 were currently doing drills, running through an obstacle course.

As she got closer, she spotted Matt standing close to the entrance, holding a timer in his hand. “Alright folks, one more time than you can pack up!” He yelled across the open space, and Sylvie heard a unanimous moan go through the rows, but none of the firefighters stopped running.

Stella Kidd noticed her first after she jumped over a barrier. “Brett!” She called out her name, sounding just a little out of breath, but happy nonetheless. Sending her a quick wave, she kept running, turning back to the task at hand.

Matt, who had been too focused on his crew to notice her, wiped his head around, his eyes following Stella’s waving hand. A beam formed on his face when he spotted her, his attention shifting from the drills to her.

“Sylvie, hey!” He greeted her as she stopped in front of him. “Did you miss us already? It’s only been one and a half shifts.” He opened his arms for her, and Sylvie couldn’t resist his invitation, stepping into his embrace.

It was just a quick, kind of loose hug because Amelia was hanging in between them, but it felt good. She hadn’t seen him for almost a week which was unusual these days. Sure, they had texted a few times, but she hadn’t seen him physically. Normally, they saw each other on shift and most of the time also on days in between, when they met at Molly’s. In the last few weeks, he had additionally helped her deal with the Julie situation too, and there had been barely a day where they hadn’t seen each other.

Retreating from him, she returned his smile. “I’d be lying if I say I didn’t, but I’ve also got a meeting with Boden,” she explained, one of her hands coming to rest on the baby’s back.

“Well, the feeling is mutual. Foster is about ready to kick Fuller out to the curb, but I’m sure you heard all about that,” Matt chuckled, turning his attention to the baby strapped to her chest. “How’s this little one doing? I hope she’s been good to you.” He stepped closer, crouching down to the baby’s eye level, one of his hands coming to rest on the baby’s back, close to her own. “Hi, Amelia. I see you’re all awake for your first visit to 51. Everyone’s excited to finally meet you.” His voice was higher than usual when he addressed the little girl, and it was just another thing that Sylvie found ridiculously attractive.

He reached out to gently bob her tiny nose, turning the focus of the baby entirely to him. Amelia eyed him with wide eyes, her big blue eyes drinking him in.

Matt smiled at her, reaching out to let her wrap her hand around one of his fingers.

“She’s actually been an angel. Sleeping a lot and rarely crying. A dream come true I guess,” Sylvie answered, watching their interaction. Amelia seemed mesmerized by Matt, and Sylvie couldn’t really blame her. He did have dreamy eyes. She really did miss him these last few days, and she made a mental note to spend more time with him again, but today, she was here on a mission.

“I hate to cut this short, but I do have to get to Boden,” she apologized, biting her bottom lip. “I did wanna stay for lunch though, so maybe we can talk more then?”

“I’d like that,” Matt said quickly as he straightened his back and smiled at her. “Do you want me to take her? I could watch her until you’re done with your meeting?” He suggested, pointing to Amelia.

“Oh no, it’s fine. You’re working, and I’m sure you have more important stuff to do than watch a baby,” she waved him off, shaking her head.

“Actually, I don’t. We’re done with drills, and I’m on top of my paperwork. It’s really no trouble,” he insisted, and he lifted his arms to rest his hands on his hips.

Matt seemed eager to spend some time with the baby, and it instantly made her feel bad for not inviting him over sooner, but leaving Amelia with him now when he was working, felt like overstepping for her.

Twisting her watch on her right arm, she sighed, “But you could get a call, and—”

“Sylvie,” he interrupted her, laying a hand on her shoulder. “If we get a call, you know where to find me. Let me take her for a while. I promise you she’s in good hands.”

“I do trust you with her, Matt,” she corrected him immediately, tilting her head to the side. “I’ve depended on you so much these last few weeks, and I feel like I’ll never be able to make up for everything you've done for me. I just don’t want you to feel like I’m using you.”

Wrinkling his forehead, he lowered his chin, catching her eyes. “You’re not using me. I’m your friend, and I like helping you.” He sent her an encouraging smile. “Besides, some time with this little lady would be payback enough for me.”

Puffing out some air, Sylvie opened the clips of the carrier, unfastening it. “All her stuff is in the diaper bag. I’ll leave that in the common room, and if you need anything else, just come find me, ok?”

She pushed her hands between the baby and the cushion, holding her securely to her chest, before letting the front of the carrier fall free. Shifting Amelia in her arms, she carefully handed her over to Matt who nestled her close to his chest. Sylvie’s hands lingered on her head, adjusting her hat tenderly and trailing a finger over her cheek.

“You be good for Matt, sweets,” she whispered softly, pressing a kiss to the baby’s head. “No poopy business for the next hour.” She reminded the baby who was still staring up at Matt.

“I could handle that,” Matt snorted, his chin lifted up high.

“Hold on to that thought,” Sylvie hummed, pressing one more kiss to the baby’s head before retreating. “Next time her diaper explodes, I’ll call you.”

Matt just shook his head, laughing softly. “You better go now. Don’t wanna be late for your meeting.”

Sylvie rolled her eyes, walking past Matt and Amelia. The urge to press a kiss to Matt’s lips overwhelmed her suddenly, and she sped up her tempo to quickly put more distance between them. Staying away from him was getting harder every day.

* * *

Her meeting with Boden had been mainly about her coming back to work again. As she hadn’t been pregnant with Amelia herself, she didn’t qualify for light duty. It also wasn’t something she would have looked forward to, but it would have been great for Amelia, at least for the first few weeks. She did qualify for up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave though, a maternity policy that was also in place for adopting parents.

Unfortunately, unpaid leave just wasn’t something she could afford for that long. Especially now, that she had Amelia to think of. For the last two shifts, she had taken furlough, but with a baby at home, it was probably a good idea to save up on the furlough for any other emergencies. For now, they had agreed to two more weeks of unpaid leave to give her time to establish a routine and to find childcare for Amelia. It would definitely cut into her savings, but there was no other way.

As she left Chief Boden’s office, she made her way over to the common area anxious to see Amelia and maybe also Matt. Just before she was passing the officer quarters, she heard Stella and Emily talking. The two women were sitting on Emily’s bed, their backs turned to her. Just before she opened her mouth to call out to them, she heard her name in their conversation. Eavesdropping wasn’t usually her thing, but she couldn’t help it. Things with Emily had been strained lately, so she stepped back into the hallway, positioning herself out of sight.

“So, just dump this in her lap on top of everything she’s going through?” Emily asked. “No, no thank you.”

“She’s your partner. Your roomie,” Stella said, pausing for a second. “And one of your best friends. Talk to her. Med school has always been your dream.”

Med school. Emily was going back to med school and she didn’t want to tell her. All of a sudden, her erratic behavior in the last few weeks made sense. Emily hated change, and on top of all the changes Sylvie did herself, Emily had been silently making an even bigger one.

Her chest tightened at the surprising news, and she felt her hands tremble. Leaning back against the wall, she willed the ringing in her ears to stop as she closed her eyes to the dizziness that overcame her. Emily was right, the timing of her decision sucked, but she would have still been happy for her friend. She would have been the last person to restrain her from pursuing her dreams.

Taking a few steadying breaths, she gave herself a minute to calm down, before turning around and making her way out of the bunk room. She needed to talk to Emily tomorrow, come hell or high water. This awkward tension between them had to come to an end.

Rounding the corner to the common room, she spotted Ritter and Gallo cooking, and a few of her other colleagues spread across the room. Matt wasn’t in sight, and she wrinkled her eyebrows in confusion.

“Have any of you guys seen Casey?” She asked loudly, stepping back to look down the hallway again.

“Hello to you too, Brett,” Hermann greeted her from across the room, briefly looking up from his newspaper.

“He’s been walking around with your baby strapped to his chest, not letting us hold her,” Gallo piped up from behind the stove, sounding just a tad offended. “I think he mumbled something about showing her 81.”

Sylvie had to suppress a laugh at the younger man’s growly response, sending him a big smile. “How about you make enough food for me too, and I’ll retrieve my baby from Casey so you can have a cuddle too?” She suggested.

Gallo’s face lit up, his big smile covering his entire face. He looked like a little child on Christmas morning, and a soft laugh bubbled out of the paramedic. Gallo and Ritter’s antics always made her cheer up.

Turning around, she made her way through the apparatus floor, walking over to 81 when a call for ambulance 61 sounded through the air. Her instincts almost told her to run to the rig until she remembered that she wasn’t on shift today. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Foster and Fuller run towards the rig, so she quickly rounded the corner of truck 81 to hide from Emily.

The sight that greeted her there made her knees go wobbly and she forgot all about Emily and med school. Matt had put on the baby carrier she had worn earlier, strapping Amelia to his chest. She remembered Gallo mentioning something like that just minutes ago, but her brain hadn’t processed that information yet. Now though, her brain had to process the visual image of Matt Casey wearing her baby, and that made her dizzy all over again.

His hand was resting on the front of the carrier, probably covering almost all of Amelia’s little body under it. His other hand was holding Amelia’s little fist, the girl having wrapped her tiny hand around one of his fingers. His head was turned sideways, his cheek hovering close to her head, but not resting on it. She could see his lips moving as he whispered something to the baby. Amelia’s face was turned away from her, but Sylvie was almost sure she was staring at the truck in front of her, listening intently to Matt’s words.

Matt in his captain uniform had been making her feel gooey for weeks now, but Matt in his captain uniform wearing the dark blue baby carrier with Amelia in it while talking to her softly, made her ovaries explode.

Before she could gather herself, he turned towards her, sending her a happy smile that literally knocked her over. Losing her balance as she tried to walk closer to them, she stumbled sideways, breaking her fall with her hands against the truck.

“You’re feeling ok?” He asked, his voice laced with concern as he crossed the distance between them.

Humiliated, she pushed herself into a standing position again, smoothing down her light-blue t-shirt in the process. “Uhm, yeah, I'm fine. I wasn’t watching where I was going,” she mumbled quietly and focused her eyes on the baby in front of him.

“Well, how was your meeting with Chief?”

“Fine,” she quickly responded, stepping closer to him to see Amelia’s face. She was still awake, her big, blue eyes staring at her. “Hi sweets. Did you have a good time with Matt?” She cooed, taking the baby’s free hand, and softly pressing a kiss to it.

“I think I almost bored her to sleep a minute ago. She doesn’t seem to be interested in fire trucks yet,” Matt answered for the baby. “I hope you don’t mind that I put her into the carrier. My arms were getting a little tired, and I needed my hands back.”

Her head snapped up and she met his eyes, raising an eyebrow. “You’re meaning to tell me that your arms got tired holding this sweet, little eight-pound baby? You’re a firefighter, Matt Casey!” She snorted, boxing his arm. It was a terrible excuse and an even worse lie.

“Okay, so maybe I wanted to try this thing out, too?” He pursed his lips, rubbing his hand over the carrier. “You looked good wearing it, and I thought I might give it a try too.”

“Oh no, your charming Matt Casey smile won’t get you out of this one,” she warned him, lifting her arms to her hips. “Neither will the fact that you look ridiculously attractive wearing this baby!” She could feel the heat rising to her cheeks as soon as the words left her mouth.

A matching blush formed on the captain’s cheeks, rendering him speechless.

“Don’t play innocent now. You know exactly what men with kids do to women’s ovaries,” she tried to save herself, only making it worse.

A smirk covered Matt’s face at her words, and he rocked back on his heels. “No, I don’t, please enlighten me.”

She narrowed her eyes, shaking her head softly. “Don’t look so smug, it’s not a good look on you!” She jabbed her finger against his chest, just above Amelia’s head. “Just admit that you didn’t want to share her with the others!”

He scrunched up his nose, tipping his head back. “Nah, where would be the fun in that?”

Her belly fluttered at their playful banter, and even though she knew they were toying their carefully drawn line, she was hesitant to end it. Rationally though, she was hungry, and Amelia would be hungry soon too, also needing a nap.

Reality caught up to her, and she smoothed down her hair, clearing her throat. “We should go eat something. I promised Gallo baby cuddles in exchange for lunch.”

Matt arched an eyebrow as his hand rubbed over the baby’s back. “The kid has probably never held a newborn before.”

“Well, then consider it your job to teach him. He’s your candidate after all,” she teased him one last time.

Matt opened and closed his mouth a few times, before he pressed his lips together. His torso puffed up as he took a deep breath, his shoulders sinking again when he slowly let out the air. He seemed bothered by the idea of anyone else holding Amelia, but he would have to learn to share her.

“Come on, let’s go. I’m starving,” she told him, wrapping her hand around his upper arm, or at least part of it, and tugging him into the direction of the common room.

As soon as they entered, all eyes were on them. The whole crew was sitting at the table with plates in front of them, the food standing in the middle of the table. There were two empty seats at the front of the table, Gallo sitting next to one of them.

“I was about to send out a search party,” Stella greeted them loudly, sending her a wink.

“Lunch is all ready,” Gallo grinned, pointing to the table and then to the empty seat next to him. “Can I please hold her now?”

“Of course! Thank you for setting a plate for me too.” Sylvie smiled at him brightly, letting go of Matt’s arm and resting her hand on his back instead, pushing him towards the empty chairs. “If you play nice with Gallo, you can come over to the apartment this week, and spend a whole day with her.” She whispered through gritted teeth, trying to keep the smile on her face. All of her friends were still watching them, and she didn’t want to paint the wrong picture.

“That’s called bribery,” Matt muttered, dragging his feet towards the empty seat next to his candidate. Sitting down on the empty chair next to Gallo, he unfastened the carrier from his chest, and maneuvered Amelia into his arms, cradling her against his chest.

The baby was still awake to Sylvie’s surprise, and as she sat down next to Matt, her hand softly brushed over Amelia’s head a few times. “Be nice to Gallo, sweets. He’s a good candidate for babysitting.” Pressing a kiss to the baby’s head, she leaned back in her chair.

Matt had his lips pressed into a thin line, apparently still not convinced to let someone else hold the baby. “Did you wash your hands?” He addressed the man next to him.

“Yes, captain!” Gallo replied eagerly.

“Casey! Just hand him the baby already. He’s not gonna break her,” Sylvie chastised him, leveling him with a stern look.

With one last low grumble, he passed Amelia to Gallo. The younger man took her carefully into his arms, letting Matt adjust her in his hold until she was settled peacefully, staring up at the new person.

“Watch her head, she can’t hold it on her own yet,” Matt instructed Gallo, his hands hovering close to the baby. His body posture was tense, being on high alert in case Gallo messed up.

Looking around the table, she saw that everyone else was already eating or filling up their plates, not paying attention to the scene between Matt and Gallo anymore. Maybe it was their friend’s polite way of not noticing their captain’s overbearing nature or they truly didn’t care. Either way, Sylvie was thankful for their indifference, not wanting the extra attention.

Glancing around Matt, Sylvie eyed Gallo carefully, and while she could sense some lingering awkwardness, he seemed confident enough with Amelia.

“Matt,” she said softly, placing her hand on his leg, and his head whipped around to her. “How about you eat something now? Gallo’s seems to have things under control.”

He nodded slowly, glancing at his candidate one more time.

“Thank you for taking such good care of her though,” she added, sending him a small smile that made his lips quirk up too.

His hand found hers, his long fingers wrapping around her smaller ones as he brushed his thumb over the back of her hand. The small touch made her heart beat faster, and her stomach flutter. The tiny voices in her head that screamed at her to pull back, faded into the distance, and her head surrendered the battle to her heart, at least for a little while.

* * *

**April 23rd, 2020  
**

The next morning, Sylvie was sitting at the kitchen counter at her apartment, sipping her coffee while she waited for Emily to come home from shift. It was already a quarter past eight, and she was due any minute.

Her visit to the station had ended abruptly when all of 51 had gotten a call right after they had finished lunch. Amelia had been back in her arms at that point, drinking her bottle and slowly falling asleep. The call had woken her up again, and she had let out a pierced scream of displeasure.

Matt had jumped up from his chair, giving her shoulder a soft squeeze, before sending her one last smile and a promise to text her later. Her quiet ‘be careful’ had gotten lost in the commotion as he ran to the apparatus floor with the others.

It was weird seeing her friends leave without her, and she couldn’t help but worry. They were more than capable of doing their jobs, and to them, it didn’t make that big of a difference if she was present or not. As long as nobody got hurt, they wouldn’t feel her absence. Amelia's screams had distracted her from any scarier thoughts, and she had gotten up, bouncing around the common room to get her to calm down.

Taking another sip from her coffee, she looked down at Amelia who was laying in her bouncy chair that was standing on the ground next to the counter. The baby was sleeping peacefully, her little body curled up. Sylvie loved watching her sleep, it was calming and gave her serenity.

The opening of the front door made Sylvie look up and she watched Emily enter the apartment.

“Hey Brett,” the paramedic greeted her, hanging her keys on the key rack by the door, before tiptoeing towards the kitchen as she saw the sleeping baby.

“Good morning, I just made some fresh coffee,” Sylvie said and pointed to the coffee pot on the counter. “I thought we could have breakfast together.”

“Oh yeah, I do have to be at the gym in two hours,” Emily replied while dropping her bag close to the door quietly. She walked into their kitchen area, getting a cup out of the cabinets and pouring herself some coffee. “I heard you came to the station yesterday. I’m sorry I missed you. We had a lot of calls.”

“I heard you and Stella talking in the bunk room,” Sylvie blurted out. There was no point in hiding the truth from her now. “I didn’t mean to eavesdrop but things between us are strained and you were talking about me. I couldn’t help it, I’m sorry.”

Her friend was standing opposite her, the kitchen counter acting as a barrier between them. Emily placed her cup on the countertop, exhaling slowly as she wrapped her hands around her mug. “I wanted to tell you about it. I just didn’t…” She paused and pressed her lips into a tight line.

“Then why didn’t you?” Sylvie questioned, careful not to raise her voice. “I thought we were best friends, but you keep on hiding stuff from me.”

“I didn’t know how considering everything you’re going through,” Emily defended herself, standing up straight.

“So, you thought just disappearing one day would be better?” Anger bubbled up inside of her, and she swallowed hard, trying to control it.

“Brett, no. It isn’t even certain that I’m going yet. I just wanted to explore the possibility, before telling you about it,” Emily answered, puffing out some air.

“I know I’m not in a great place at the moment, but hiding stuff from me isn’t helping, it’s just making it worse. How can I prepare myself for these kinds of things, if you don’t keep me in the loop?” The blonde crossed her arms in front of herself.

The other woman sighed. “I’ve only reapplied last week, and I have an interview scheduled with the admissions board for next week. That’s it.”

“But you must have thought about going back for a while now. That’s not just something you decide overnight. You could have told me, and I could have supported you with this.”

“You support my decision?”

Sylvie tilted her head to the side, sighing softly. “Emily, med school has always been your dream. How could I stand in the way of that?”

The dark-haired woman raised her chin, looking up at the ceiling. “Why do you always have to be so understanding and good-hearted?” She groaned, lifting her arms to her hips.

“Hey, don’t get me wrong, I’m still a little mad that you didn’t tell me, but it doesn’t change the fact that I’m backing you up 100%.”

A shaky laugh left Emily’s lips as she sprinted around the counter and wrapped her arms around Sylvie in a tight hug. “You’re the best, I couldn’t have asked for a better friend, Sylvie.”

Chuckling, Sylvie moved off the chair, returning her friend’s hug, before pulling back, “Now, where did you apply exactly?”

“Northwestern. There is no way I’m leaving Chicago. Gotta stay close to all of you guys,” Emily smirked.

A tiny sneeze prevented Sylvie from answering and the two women turned their attention onto the baby who was awake and staring at them with wide eyes.

“Good morning, munchkin,” Emily greeted her, crouching down in front of the bouncy chair, and stroking her finger over the baby’s hand. “I heard you caused quite the ruckus at the station yesterday. Did you have fun with all the boys?”

“You make her sound like the worst heartbreaker,” Sylvie said amused.

“She’s got Casey wrapped around her little finger,” the paramedic noted as she stood up again. “That reminds me, I’ve got something for you.”

Sylvie wrinkled her eyebrows in confusion, watching as Emily pulled her phone out of the back pocket of her jeans. Swiping her finger across the screen, her friend pressed on the glass a few times, and a second later, Sylvie’s own phone pinged next to her.

“Consider this a gift from Stella and myself,” the dark-haired woman smirked, her eyes gleaming with mischief.

Sylvie slowly reached for her phone, turning it in her hand and seeing that it was a winky smiley with a photo attached. Her pulse quickened as she unlocked the phone and opened the message. Matt Casey in his captain uniform wearing Amelia in the baby carrier graced her screen, the two of them standing in front of the open door of the passenger side of truck 81. One of his hands was laying over the baby in the carrier, while his other was holding onto the baby’s hand. It was almost the exact scene she had seen in person just a day before, except that they had stood on the other side of the truck.

“Oh,” she gasped, her hand going to her chest as she mustered the photo. It was a beautiful picture, capturing a moment that was already burned into her memory. You weren’t able to see either of their faces, Matt’s face partially turned away and Amelia’s face hidden against his chest, but Sylvie knew from watching them that day that it had been a special moment for Matt.

“Well, we thought you’d be happy to have a picture of your baby daddy to look at, and let me say, the captain is _really_ pulling that off. I don’t get how you still haven’t jumped him, girl,” Emily snorted, laying her phone back onto the counter.

“Emily, Matt’s not my baby daddy!” Sylvie exclaimed.

“Why not? You’re her mom now, and sooner rather than later, you two will give into all this tension, and have some more beautiful babies.” Emily sounded like she was stating obvious facts instead of wild assumptions, and it was enough for Sylvie’s mind to go crazy again.

The image of Matt laying over her, sweaty and naked, flashed back through her mind, his forehead resting against hers as she moved with him, their bodies rubbing against each other.

A shiver ran through her body and she squeezed her eyes shut for a second before leveling Emily with a pointed look. “Please don’t say stuff like that. I’m having enough trouble with the thought of me being her mother, I really don’t need to think about Matt being her… being anything.”

“Look Sylvie, you can deny it all you want, but Casey and you are inevitable. You both have feelings for each other, and your little girl already looks at him like he hung the moon,” Emily reminded her as she walked back around the counter. “It’s gonna happen.”

Sighing heavily, Sylvie reached down to pick Amelia up, holding the baby up in front of her and pressing a few kisses against her chubby cheeks. “Auntie Emily is really mean. Maybe we shouldn’t make her our special pancakes after all, what do you think, sweets?”

Amelia just stared at her with her big, blue eyes, not reacting to her question.

“That’s not fair, I’m just telling the truth. Give me that baby and make me some of your pancakes,” Emily cried out, coming back around the counter with stretched out hands.

“See, sweets, threatening to withhold food always works. Keep that in mind,” Sylvie explained to the still indifferent baby. She pressed another kiss to her cheek, before handing her to Emily.

Her friend kept quiet this time, adjusting the baby in her hold as Sylvie walked around the kitchen counter to prepare breakfast, trying hard to ban the thought of Matt being Amelia’s or her anything out of her head.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for all the love guys! I love reading every single comment, no matter if it's here or on Tumblr! :) 
> 
> I hope my Sylvie isn't too OCC today. I feel like she would break down someday, even on the show, and I tried to make it as realistic as possible. If any of you guys have babies or have taken care of infants you'll totally get this chapter. My host child once screamed into my ears for two hours straight and I had to wrap her up in several blankets in sit outside with her in pretty low temperatures, but it did calm her down eventually. She was really a hard nut to crack! 
> 
> Anyway, please enjoy some more daddy Matt and hubby Matt this chapter! :)

**April 26th, 2020 ~ Amelia 4 1/2 weeks old**

With a melodic ping, the doors of the elevator in Sylvie’s apartment complex opened in front of Matt and he made his way down the long hallway towards her apartment door.

Just like she had promised him a few days ago during her visit to the station, she had offered Matt to come and spent the day with her and Amelia. The minute they had set the date, he had been excited for his visit, almost counting the days until he would see both Sylvie and Amelia again. It was pathetic considering that it’s just been three days since he had last seen them. Sylvie and he had shared plenty of text messages during those days, and she had even sent him a few pictures of Amelia, but he couldn’t help the painful longing inside of him.

Adding to that, Foster was visiting some of her old friends from med school for the next few days, meaning that it was just the three of them, without anyone there interrupting their time.

So, today when he had come home from shift, he had taken the quickest shower, before changing his clothes and leaving for her apartment. They hadn’t set an exact time, but Matt had texted her when he left his apartment to announce his upcoming arrival.

His excitement quickly changed into worry as he was greeted by ear-piercing screams coming from inside of the apartment when he stopped in front of the door. Knocking loudly on the door, he shifted around on his feet, anxious to see what was causing the noise.

Nothing prepared him for the scene that greeted him when Sylvie finally opened the door. He had never seen Sylvie Brett look so utterly desperate and wracked before and it made his stomach harden painfully.

Tears were silently streaming down her cheeks, her face shining from the moisture with a few strands of her hair sticking to it. The rest of her hair looked tousled as if she hadn’t brushed it yet, something that was totally unlike her; she always took great care of her hair. Her clothes looked disheveled too, her yoga pants and her loose t-shirt stained with what looked like spit up milk. The worst, though, were her eyes. Dark circles underlined them, and the constant tears spilling out of them made his heart break.

Amelia was cradled against her chest and screamed like there was no tomorrow. The baby’s skin had already turned to a dark red, telling him that she had been in this state for a while. Her tiny fists were clenched, her legs flailing.

“What happened?” Matt asked concerned. He crossed the threshold of the apartment, closing the distance between the three of them. His hand reached out to Amelia, coming to rest on her head. It felt hot to his touch, probably from all the crying. “How long has she been crying like this?”

“I don’t know,” Sylvie hiccupped, bouncing the baby in her arms gently. “I can’t calm her down. She’s been fussy all day yesterday, and tonight she woke up over and over again, crying. I tried everything.”

Matt closed the door behind him and pushed Sylvie back into the living room. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see the mess in the kitchen area. “Have you checked her temperature?”

“I did everything, Matt,” she sniffled, shaking her head. “I fed her, I changed her diaper, and I tried to put her to sleep, but she wouldn’t stop crying. She doesn’t have a fever, and I don’t think she’s gassy. Her doctor told me that as long as she doesn’t have a fever, is constipated, or screams for more than three hours, I don’t need to come in. I don’t know what else to do.” Her desperate tone made his heart clench.

“Maybe she’s just overstimulated and frustrated,” he suggested, taking his jacket off and carelessly throwing it towards the dining table. “And probably tired by now. All this screaming must be exhausting.”

His hand stroked through the baby’s blonde hair, and he pushed his hand under her head, scooping her out of Sylvie’s arms.

“I’m failing miserably at parenting,” the woman in front of him sobbed loudly, fresh tears running down her cheeks. “I’m way out of my league, I’m not her mother, and I never should have believed that I could take care of her.” She looked even more miserable without the baby in her arms as they hung loosely down her sides now.

“Hey, no Sylvie, that’s not true.” He shifted the crying baby against his shoulder, pressing her securely against him with one of his hands while the other reached out to cup Sylvie’s cheek. “You’re great with her. Sometimes babies just cry without an apparent reason.” He wiped a few tears away as his thumb brushed over her cheekbone.

“Then why can’t I get her to calm down?” Her voice broke, barely audible over Amelia’s loud screams.

With a gentle tug of his hand on her head, he pulled her into his chest. She fell into him easily, and it broke the last of her resolve. Her body shook as the sobs wracked through her body and her arms went around him, her hands clinging desperately to his shirt on his back. He felt her tears soak his shirt in seconds as she buried her head against his neck.

Any other person might have been overwhelmed in this situation, but even with a sobbing Sylvie and a screaming Amelia in his arms, he still felt tremendously serene, not wanting to be anywhere else.

“Shh, I got you. I’m here now,” he whispered into her ear. His hand trailed to the back of her head, his fingers carding through her blonde locks. He pressed his lips against her hairline in a soft kiss and then rested his cheek against her head.

Seeing Sylvie in this broken state was pulling at his heart, and it physically hurt him to leave her like this, but Amelia’s mad screams were piercing his ears. The baby demanded his attention, and if he wanted to diffuse this situation, he had to calm her down.

His hand traveled from the back of Sylvie’s head to her cheek, and he pushed her away from his shoulder until he could see her face again.

“Hey, look at me,” he urged her. His thumb brushed circles over her cheekbones, spreading the moisture of her tears over her cheeks. He waited until she caught his eyes. “You’re doing a wonderful job with Amelia, and you’re a great mom to her. You two have just been hanging out a lot, and maybe you both need a little breather. Why don’t you take a shower and I’ll try to calm her down?”

The paramedic nodded her head weakly, swallowing hard. Her lips were pressed into a tight line and her eyes flickered away from his own and to the crying baby on his shoulder. Guilt filled her eyes and fresh tears spilled out of them.

“It’s gonna be alright, I got her,” he assured her one last time before he pressed another kiss to her forehead and let go of her completely.

Sucking in some air, Sylvie rested her hand on Amelia’s back, half of her hand covering his, and pushed herself up on her tiptoes to press a tender kiss to the baby’s head. “I love you, sweets,” she rasped, before retreating. Wrapping her arms around herself, she quickly marched past Matt and towards her room, closing the door quietly.

With no time to dwell, he shifted Amelia in his arms, cradling her back against his chest. “Alright now, little lady. Care to tell me what’s going on with you?” He questioned her in a calm voice, but Amelia only kept on crying angrily. “You’re not a happy fellow today, huh? How about we try to sleep some? It’s gonna make you feel a lot better, trust me.”

He carefully bounced her in his arms, slowly moving to the nursery as he hummed a soft tune. This day didn’t seem to go as planned, but he couldn’t get himself to care.

* * *

It took Matt another ten minutes to calm her down successfully. He had sat down in the rocking chair in the nursery, humming an old lullaby he still remembered from his days with Louie, and it had slowly quietened the little girl until she had fallen asleep, with her hand wrapped around his finger.

She was out like a light in minutes, taking slow, deep breaths, and Matt had watched her sleep for a few more minutes, before laying her into the crib. Her skin had slowly turned pink again, the dark red vanishing with each breath she took.

When he was satisfied that she was alright, he had left her room, turning on the baby phone, and taking it with him. Now that one of the Brett girls had calmed down, he was anxious to check on the other.

Sylvie’s door was left ajar, telling him that she had been outside of her room at some point, hopefully to shower. He hesitated for a short second, contemplating about personal boundaries, but screwing them in the next as he knocked on the door, pushing it open in the process.

The blonde woman was lying curled up on her side in her bed, her legs drawn to her body. Her hair was wet, and her face free of make-up, showing him that she had indeed taken his advice to shower.

“Hey there,” he addressed her as he walked into her room. “I got her to calm down. She’s out like a light.” He sat down on the edge of her bed. “How are you feeling?”

“Exhausted and guilty,” she mumbled as she watched him through half-closed lids. “This isn’t exactly what I promised you for today.”

“You promised me a day with Amelia, and so far, that’s what I got,” Matt countered. He knew taking care of babies wasn’t just sunshine and rainbows.

Sylvie huffed softly as she pushed her hands under her cheek. “She screamed your ears off. I’m lucky if you don’t sue me for future hearing impairment,” she noted drily.

He chuckled softly. “Nah, I think we can come to an agreement that benefits both of us.”

The blonde woman kept quiet as she took a few deep breaths, her eyes falling shut. Just seconds later, she wrestled them open again, her gaze unfocused.

“Sylvie,” he whispered, scooting closer to her. “How about you catch up on some sleep and let me take care of the baby for a while?” He reached his hand out to her and pushed a few strands of her damp hair behind her ear.

Her eyes fell shut at his touch and one of her hands reached for his, intertwining their fingers. “I wanna argue with you, but I’m too tired,” she slurred without opening her eyes.

“Good for me then.” His lips tugged upwards and he gave her hand a gentle squeeze. “Just sleep. I’ve got Amelia, you have nothing to worry about.”

She hummed quietly and Matt took it as her silent agreement. He stood up from her bed, trying to extract his hand from hers, but her grip tightened.

“Can you lay with me for a while?” She asked in a tiny voice, pushing herself back on the bed a bit to make space for him.

A soft smile spread over his face and his heart skipped a beat at her request. Without wasting another second, he lowered himself to the bed and stretched his body out next to hers. She hadn’t left him a lot of space on the bed, but he didn’t care as it brought him closer to her.

They were sharing a pillow, their faces only inches apart, but their bodies weren’t touching. Matt wanted nothing more than to cross the last few inches between them to pull her into his arms and hold her close to him, giving her the comfort she needed. But apart from all his needs, he wanted to respect her boundaries and make her feel as comfortable as possible.

And if that meant laying on his side with a few inches separating them, he wouldn’t complain. After all, this moment between them felt more intimate than anything else they had shared before, and that was more than enough for him. It was a sign that they were on the same wavelength, craving the same thing and moving into the same direction. And that was everything he wanted.

As he watched her tired face, he got stuck on her brows that were still a tad wrinkled. Unable to stop his urge, he extended his arm towards her and gently brushed his fingers over the small wrinkle.

Her eyes blinked open upon his touch, scanning over his face for a fleeting moment before she closed them again and shifted closer. Her hand landed on his arm, her nimble fingers wrapping around it as she pushed her head closer to him until her forehead rested against his chest. His own hand had moved from her face to the back of her head, and he softly trailed his fingers through her hair, scraping them across her scalp.

It was almost like she was hiding underneath his arm and he rested his chin on her head, allowing himself to press one more kiss to her head.

Just like earlier, his touch seemed to break through her resolve, her tiredness all but forgotten as a new set of fresh tears tickled the skin of his upper arm.

“Sylvie,” he breathed out, turning his head to rest his cheek on her head. “Please stop crying. I hate seeing you like this.”

Sniffling quietly, she buried her head against his chest, and he took it as an invitation to screw their boundaries just once more today. With one strong tug, he rolled onto his back and pulled her full body against his. There was no resistance from her part as she melted against him, her leg thrown over his and her nose nuzzling into the crook of his neck. It felt cold against his warm skin, and his hold on her tightened.

“Talk to me,” he urged her. “This can’t be just about Amelia anymore.”

“It’s everything,” she croaked. “So much has happened this last year, and I guess it’s just catching up with me. I feel like I can’t get a break because every time I start to adjust something else happens. Now Emily is going back to med school, and everything’s gonna change again. At work and at home.”

“I thought she just had her interview?” He rubbed his hand up and down her back, hoping to ease some of her pain.

“They’d be dumb if they didn’t take her. Let’s not kid ourselves.” She wiped a few tears off her cheeks, before resting her hand on his chest. “I just want some more stability in my life.”

He sighed. “I know it seems impossible in our life, but just give it a few more months, and I promise you, it will get better. Once Amelia gets older and you settle into a routine with her, it will get easier. It just takes time. It’s not gonna happen from one day to the other.”

She kept quiet, shifting to lay her head onto his chest, and he tangled his fingers back into her hair to trail his fingers over the soft skin of the nape of her neck.

“Promise me one thing though.” He paused as he took a small breath. “Next time you feel overwhelmed or sad or just want to talk, please just call me right away. Don’t wait until it all bursts out of you.”

A soft laugh bubbled out of her and he took it as a win. She might not feel one hundred percent better, but that laugh told him that they were getting there.

“I might be calling you quite often then,” she piped up, her fingers moving gradually over his chest, almost as if she was testing out this new level of intimacy they shared.

Her delicate ministrations on his chest distracted him, making his mind fuzzy and he had to close his eyes. “I don’t care. I’ll keep my ringer on,” he said as he tried to keep his voice steady.

“Why do these words sound so familiar?” She chuckled softly and his heart skipped a beat at the sound.

“I got them from someone very wise,” he teased her, and he couldn’t help the vibrating laugh that bubbled out of his chest. “I do hope you take them more seriously than I did.”

She patted his chest. “I will, thanks, Matt.”

For a second, he was afraid she’d pull back, but instead, she shuffled closer, letting out a soft sigh. Relief washed over him as he wasn’t ready to end this moment just yet. Cuddling her in her bed of all places, was a dream come true. It was a major step in their relationship, pushing them even more into the right direction.

“Matt? I need you to promise me something too.” She sounded clear again, the sadness gone from her voice.

“Hm?”

Her fingers went back to drawing figures onto his chest, making him feel lightheaded even though he was laying down. “I need you to promise me that nothing’s gonna change between us. You’re the one constant in my life right now, and I don’t know what I would do if that ever changes.”

Her words echoed in his ears and the dizziness that had just spread through his body disappeared instantly. Her wandering fingers on his chest left a burning sensation in their wake, making him feel like he touched the stove knowing that it would cause him pain. Had he really misjudged this whole situation? Did their intimate position still fall into the borders of friendship?

He might be getting too old for the new rules of dating and relationships, but he knew that his definition of friendship wasn’t including their current position if they weren’t headed into something more. So no, he couldn’t promise her that nothing would change between them, especially considering that it was his deepest wish right now.

“I promise you, I won’t leave you,” he changed her words. It was close enough, and in a metaphorical sense, it was probably exactly what she was asking of him. Adding to that, it made his own heart feel much lighter as he wasn’t spoiling his own future.

It seemed enough for her as she rubbed her cheek against the fabric of his t-shirt before he felt her stifle a yawn.

“Go to sleep,” he ordered her gently, grabbing her hand on his chest to stop her movement. “And take as long as you need. I’ll take care of Amelia.”

“You’re the best, Matt.” A soft sigh left her mouth, and he could tell she was already drifting away.

It took another few minutes for her breathing to even out and for her body to relax against his, but then her exhaustion took over and she fell into a deep slumber.

* * *

He had laid with her for quite some time after she had fallen asleep, just enjoying the press of her soft body against his. In the end, his mind had told him to leave her room as he was sure that Amelia was going to wake up soon, and he didn’t want the baby to wake her up too. Extracting himself from her had been easier than he thought as she was deeply asleep.

After leaving her room, he had cleaned up her kitchen which was a mess. Formula and baby bottles were standing everywhere mixed with dirty dishes. He could only imagine the way the small kitchen would look if Foster would have been there too as she wasn’t known as the tidiest person in their firehouse.

It worried him just a little, and he silently went over his schedule for the next few weeks in his head, trying to calculate the amount of free time he had to help Sylvie a little more. But between shifts and the few construction jobs he had lined up, he didn’t exactly come up with more than a day or two a week. It wasn’t nearly as much as he hoped, and he doubted that it would be enough to bring Sylvie some relief.

The vibrating of Sylvie’s phone on the kitchen counter sounded through the apartment and he quickly grabbed it, almost silencing it when he saw the caller ID. Hesitating, he swiped his thumb over the screen, lifting the phone to his ear.

“Hello?”


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would have never thought that last chapter would actually be that big of a cliffhanger. I was sure that some of you would guess who was calling, but I guess not. So this will be an even bigger surprise, and I hope you like it! :)
> 
> Again, thank you to everyone who left kudos, commented, or just read the chapter, I do appreciate all of you, and I love reading your thoughts.

**April 27th, 2020 ~ Amelia 4 1/2 weeks old**

Matt turned the volume of the radio in his truck up by a few numbers, filling the silent car with the soft tunes of the newest music. Traffic wasn’t as bad as he anticipated on a weekday afternoon around 4 pm. They were probably just avoiding rush hour by half an hour.

“So, Matt, tell me again what prompted you to pick up the phone yesterday?” Elizabeth Brett asked him as she turned down the music again.

He had just picked up Sylvie’s mother from the airport, the two of them now driving over to her daughter’s apartment. In the heat of the moment yesterday morning, Matt had figured that Mrs. Brett would be the perfect solution for Sylvie’s current situation, and he had picked up the phone when she called to talk with her daughter. Of course, Elizabeth Brett hadn’t hesitated in agreeing to come to Chicago, arranging for a flight the next day.

“Sylvie needs all the help she can get at the moment, and I don’t think I can give her the amount of support she currently needs,” he explained calmly, concentrating on the road in front of him.

It wasn’t his first interrogation with his significant other’s parent; he recognized Elizabeth Brett’s tone too well to classify her question into any other category. Parents made him feel uncomfortable, always asking too many questions, and usually he tried to stay clear of them, but this time it was different. 

This was a pre-relationship interrogation as Sylvie and he weren’t actually in a relationship yet. It made the whole thing just a bit more meaningful, and for the first time, his first thought didn’t consist of running away from the impending conversation. 

Well, it wasn’t like he could go anywhere now anyway. They were sitting in his car. 

“My daughter is a very strong person, what makes you think she needs my help?” The older woman countered, her tone challenging. Sylvie had definitely gotten her strength and courage from her mother, there was no doubt about that.

“I’m aware of that, Mrs. Brett, but even the strongest person needs some help now and then. Sylvie’s doing a wonderful job with Amelia, and I have no doubt she could tackle this new responsibility on her own, but that doesn’t mean she has to.”

The woman next to him kept quiet and for a fleeting moment, Matt was afraid he had gone out on a limp. As he stopped at a red light, he turned his head towards her, catching her dark blue eyes. She held his gaze for a few seconds, staring him down with a blank expression until she slowly nodded her head.

“You can call me Elizabeth,” she offered him, adjusting her purse on her lap, and Matt exhaled in relief. “I’m glad you called me. My daughter can be pretty stubborn, and last time she talked to me she assured me she had everything under control,” Elizabeth added.

Matt chuckled softly. “She’s one of the most stubborn and good-hearted people I know.” The light in front of him turned green, and he started driving again, making a left turn. “When I saw her a few days ago, she had things under control, and seemed to adjust just fine, but yesterday…” He paused as he let out a breath of air. “I don’t think I have seen her this out of sorts.”

“How so?”

Somehow, he felt like a little boy snitching on his best friend for doing something wrong, which of course wasn’t the case, but it still left him feeling uneasy. “As far as I know, Amelia started to get fussier two days ago. She’s throwing crying fits out of nowhere, and Sylvie’s been blaming herself for not being able to calm her down. I think they’re just goading each other.”

Elizabeth hummed. “I figured it was just a matter of time until she stopped being a little angel. Sylvie was just like her. A calm little girl for the first few weeks of her life and then she wreaked havoc on us.” The gray-haired woman laughed softly. “It’s just a phase and it will pass, but it can be pretty tiring.”

“The little lady does know how to scream. She almost pierced my ear drums yesterday,” Matt mused, thinking back to the afternoon the day before when Amelia had started another screaming fit.

Her words affirmed his decision of answering her call and it eased his mind immensely to know that Sylvie now got some more experienced and continuous help. Help, she didn’t know was coming as neither her mother nor he had told her about it.

He wondered how she would react upon seeing her mother, and he got anxious. Would she be mad at him for overstepping or would she be thankful? He couldn’t imagine either and it stressed him out. Gripping the steering wheel harder, he pressed his lips together as he parked in front of the apartment complex.

Turning the engine off, Matt quickly jumped out of his seat, going around the car and opening the door for the older woman. She smiled at him gratefully, taking his outstretched hand to jump out of his truck. As he reached over to grab her suitcase from the bag of his truck, the older woman sounded up behind him once more.

“I do have one more question for you, Matt.” She closed the passenger door, and he turned around to her, lifting his eyebrows in question. “What’s your relationship with my daughter? It seems like the two of you are pretty close.”

His breath caught in his lungs, and Matt gulped. He thought they were passed the interrogation, but Elizabeth seemed to have just started it. A cold shiver ran down his back, and he lowered the suitcase to the ground.

“We work together at the station,” he answered as he tried to keep his voice as neutral as possible. “And we’re good friends.”

“Is that what they call it these days?” Sylvie’s mother hummed. “I don’t think I’ve heard her talk about anyone this much before, and my daughter can get pretty excited.”

He locked his truck before bowing his head and shifting on his feet. Saying nothing in this situation felt better than pretending to know where their relationship was headed. After all, he could only speak for himself and that didn’t seem like the wisest idea either, so he kept his mouth shut.

“Even with all the praise I’ve been hearing about you, I want you to keep in mind that she has a daughter now, and that baby will be the most important person in her life for the rest of hers. Her focus is going to be on Amelia, and she doesn’t need anybody that pulls her away from that little girl, understood?” Her voice was sharp like a razor and her words sounded like a warning to him.

Matt squared his shoulders, meeting the woman’s eyes. “With all due respect, I know what it means to take care of a child. I might have only been a father for a short amount of time, but I understand the responsibility Sylvie has for Amelia. I won’t ever put her in a position where she would have to choose between Amelia and me,” he retaliated in an equally sharp tone before realizing that it was uncalled for. “What I meant to say is that if Sylvie and I were ever to become anything more than friends, Amelia would become my top priority too.” 

_She pretty much was already_ , he added silently in his head. Without wanting to, he had laid his cards out on the table and it had felt better than he expected. 

Elizabeth nodded and reached out to pat his arm. “I’m glad you’re agreeing with me. You’ll be good for her.”

Heat rose to his cheeks, and he couldn’t help the shy smile that spread over his face. His heart felt warm at her approval and he had to remind himself that while her mother had been giving him her blessing, he still had to win over her daughter. 

Clearing his throat, Matt gestured towards the door. “Well, why don’t we go inside now? I’m sure you’d like to meet your first grandchild in person,” Matt suggested, stirring them away from Sylvie and his relationship status. Their main focus at the moment needed to be Sylvie and Amelia anyway. 

* * *

Ever since Matt had left her after breakfast this morning, Sylvie had felt uneasy. Yesterday had been chaotic and nerve-wracking, and it had left her in a distraught state, the fear of a repeat happening today always in the back of her mind.

She wasn’t sure what she would have done, if Matt hadn’t shown up when he did. Amelia’s constant crying had made her forget that they had agreed on meeting that day, and she had only remembered when she had heard the loud knock on the door. Deep down she figured that she would have called him at some point, especially knowing that Emily wouldn’t be home the next two days. 

Seeing his face had broken her last resolve, and while she stupidly unloaded her misery on him again without considering his willingness to help her deal with it, she had been beyond relieved. She had instantly felt safe, his presence alone assuring her that it’d be OK. 

Matt Casey had truly been her blessing yesterday, literally pulling both Amelia and her out of their misery. He had stayed with them for the rest of the day and the night, making sure that both of them were comfortable. 

Because of her exhausted state, she had slept for the entire morning, only waking up in the early afternoon. She hadn’t realized how desperately she needed some uninterrupted sleep, but she had felt it after waking up rested for the first time in a little more than a week. 

In the time she had slept, Matt had cleaned up her kitchen and living room, getting rid of the chaos the baby had left in her crying wake. He had even cooked them lunch, and they had eaten together as Amelia had been napping again. Just as she was complementing their unfamiliar and newfound domesticity, Amelia’s cries pierced through the apartment once more. 

For the rest of the day, they had tried to keep the baby comfortable and calm, taking her outside or just cuddling her, but nothing seemed to work. Amelia had continued to be fussy and Sylvie had gotten more anxious the later it got; especially because Matt seemed to be the only one who could calm her down from her crying fits. 

In the evening, after she had put Amelia to bed and found Matt still sitting on her couch, she knew he was staying. He had slept on the couch, but it had taken everything in Sylvie to not succumb to the temptation of inviting him into her own bed. She had desperately wanted to feel the comfort of his embrace and the warmth that radiated from his body, but in the end, she had restrained herself. 

During the night, he had only gotten up once with her, after Amelia had started to get fussy after one of her feedings, and he probably helped her prevent another fit. It was then that she realized that he would go to unimaginable lengths for that little girl and maybe also for her. 

Even now, hours after he had left, she marveled at his calm and loving nature, missing his gentle assurance and serenity. She always knew he was good with kids and there was no doubt in her mind that he would be a great father. He had been already with Louie, she had seen it firsthand, especially when Louie had been reunited with his biological dad. It must have hurt him deeply, she couldn’t imagine what he must have felt back then, and yet Matt Casey still had so much more love to give, not afraid to love another child just as much. He deserved to be a father more than anybody else she knew, and she hoped profoundly that his wish would become reality. At the bottom of her heart, she longed to be part of that wish, a quiet dream she kept to herself, not voicing it or even thinking about it, because it seemed like too much right now.

Closing her eyes and taking a few steadying breaths, Sylvie pulled her focus back to the presence. She was sitting on the couch, Amelia calmly laying in her arms and happily drinking her bottle. Luckily, she had only thrown one little crying fit after Matt had left earlier. It had taken her a while to calm her down, but in the end, she succeeded, only feeling a little shaken. 

“Are you all finished, sweets?” She asked the baby in a gentle voice as Amelia sucked the last of the formula out of the bottle. Her little nose scrunched up once she sucked in air, and Sylvie quickly pulled the bottle out of her mouth, placing it on the coffee table in front of her. 

“It’s OK, lovey, don’t start crying now. You’re gonna give me a nice burp, and then you can have a little nap, it’s all good.” She kept her voice steady and took a calming breath, hoping to lower her fast heart rate. Grabbing the burping cloth, and laying it over her shoulder, she shifted Amelia around in her arms. After the baby was positioned against her shoulder, she stood up from the couch, softly patting the baby’s back. 

“See, there is no reason to cry,” she whispered, probably more for herself than for the baby. “Matt’s gonna be back soon too. Let’s try not to have another fit until then.” 

Her sudden insecurity around the baby was troublesome and unexpected. For the last few days, things had been so easy, and she had felt confident with Amelia. Now though, after one day of almost constant crying, she questioned her ability to take care of the baby. She had been on edge the entire day, and whenever Amelia got fussy now, she tensed up, feeling insecure and incompetent when she wasn’t able to calm her down immediately. It was stupid, and she felt embarrassed.

Amelia still hadn’t burped, whimpering softly in time with the patting on her back. A soft knock on the door sounded through the living space, and the weight on her shoulders disappeared at the thought of Matt being back. As she walked over to the door, a small smile covered her face, but it immediately dropped when she opened the door and saw who was standing in the hallway.

“Mom?!” She screeched and Amelia let out a wail into her neck. “What are you doing here?”

Her mother beamed at her, tilting her head to the side. “Sylvie, darling! It’s so good to see you. And look at that little bundle of joy!” She cooed, stretching her hand out towards Amelia.

Sylvie’s gaze moved away from her mother and to the other person standing next to her. Matt sheepishly smiled at her, scratching the back of his neck. Any other day, she would have found his expression incredibly cute, but not today.

It didn’t take a genius to figure out why her mom was suddenly standing in front of her apartment. 

“You called her?” Sylvie questioned in disbelief, her voice raised. 

“Uhh, I did,” he confirmed her question. “She rang your cell while you were sleeping yesterday, and it seemed like a good idea yesterday.”

“And I’m very glad he did. From what I’ve heard, you have your hands full with this little angel. I’m relieved to know that you have such a caring man looking out for you,” her mother added while she gestured into the apartment. “Well, come on, sweetheart, let us come inside.”

Sylvie’s eyes never left Matt as she stepped aside to let them in and they moved into the living area. Her cheeks felt hot at the thought of Matt sharing her miserable state with anyone, even if it was just her own mother. 

She stared at him with hard eyes, momentarily stopping the patting on Amelia’s back. “You told her about yesterday?” Her voice was thin, and she swallowed thickly. 

“I’m sorry if I overstepped, Sylvie,” Matt apologized as he walked closer to her, his hands stretched out. “I just wanted to help you.” 

He stopped a few inches in front of her, leaving more space between them as usual. As he dropped his hands, Sylvie’s heart skipped a beat. He never left any space between them, especially not after yesterday. It felt like he was pulling away, and calling her mother seemed like the first step. She just couldn’t understand why. Her mind was running a thousand miles per hour, and her hurt swiftly transformed into bitterness. 

“You had no business picking up my phone or inviting my mother to Chicago. So yes, you massively overstepped, Casey,” she blurted out angrily just as she patted the baby’s back a little firmer, resulting in Amelia finally letting out a huge burp and spitting out half of her milk again.

“Sylvie Brett,” her mother’s voice scolded her, and she stepped up to her, holding her hands out for the baby. “Where are your manners? Matt was concerned about you, and unlike Kyle, he didn’t call me to coddle you. He knows you’re a strong, capable woman who’s able to take care of herself.”

Sylvie’s gaze fell from Matt to her mother and she pressed her lips together as she handed Amelia over to her mom. Elizabeth Brett was defending him, and she was already using his first name, which told Sylvie more than enough of her mother’s opinion of Matt.

“You’re supposed to be on my side,” she huffed without knowing where she should actually direct her anger now. She was flooded with emotions and she couldn’t think straight. 

“There are no such things as sides, sweetheart. And if there were, I’d be on this little one’s side,” her mother cooed as she adjusted the baby against her chest. She immediately began to bounce softly, stroking her thumb over Amelia’s cheek.

“Mom, she just ate. If you don’t want to end up with spit on your blouse, you better stop bouncing her.” She took the burp cloth of her shoulder to hand it to her mother, but it was soaked and so was her shirt. Puffing out some air, she threw the burp cloth onto the table and it landed there with a wet splosh. 

Of course, her mother didn’t listen to her and walked off with the baby into the living room, but Sylvie knew that arguing with her now would be useless. This entire situation was getting out of control and she needed to concentrate at one thing at the time, otherwise she would be spiraling out of control in seconds. 

“You have some spit up milk in your hair,” Matt’s voice pulled her focus back to him. He was still standing just a few feet away from her and he reached his hand out to her again, dropping his arm shortly before he could touch her hair.

It fueled her anger, and she felt her whole body tense up. 

“Look, Sylvie, I just wanted to give you some relief. I’m not doubting your ability to take care of Amelia or anything else,” he explained, stuffing his hands into the pockets of his jeans.

“That still doesn’t give you the right to call my mother. I have more than enough people who constantly worry about me and who are willing to help,” she countered, crossing her arms in front of her chest.

Matt tilted his head to the side, raising his eyebrows. “You do, but they can’t give you the constant support you deserve. Your friends are my friends, and last time I checked, we all work together, meaning that we’re all gonna be unavailable at the same time every third day. Besides, you hardly asked us for help.”

“That is not true, and you know it,” she interjected, and she cupped her forehead, running a hand through her hair. “I would have called you yesterday. I’ve relied on you more than I’m comfortable over the last few weeks.”

Matt sighed, shaking his head softly. “That is exactly the reason why your mom will be a better help than I can be. You’re still hesitating to ask me for help, and frankly, I don’t know what else to do to convince you otherwise. You should know by now that I would drop everything the moment you’d call.”

Her anger instantly dissolved at his words, and in retrospect, she realized that she had misinterpreted the entire situation. Matt was definitely not pulling away from her. A wave of nervousness spread through her as his words carried out some unspoken truths about their friendship the last few weeks, especially about his intentions and feelings for her.

She swallowed hard, wrapping her arms tighter around herself. Her words got stuck in her throat and she couldn’t get herself to answer.

“I don’t wanna argue with you, so I’m gonna go now,” Matt said before nodding towards her mother. “Spent some time with her, and if you want to talk, you can call me. I’ll keep my ringer on.”

The familiar words gave her some comfort, making her feel a little more at ease, but when he backed away from her towards the door, her heart dropped into her gut.

He hadn’t touched her. Usually, he always gave her a hug or at least a squeeze on her upper arm when he left, but today he barely looked at her. It was wrong, and she wanted to yell after him to come back and give her a proper goodbye, but she couldn’t. Instead, she stood rooted in her place in the living room of her apartment, her mother’s coos fading into the background as she stared after Matt.

When he reached the door, he gave her a small wave, before disappearing out of the door without another smile, and she just knew, she had massively screwed up. 


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> After reading your comments last week, I had to change the entire chapter again because all of you made some valid points that I didn't just want to brush under the carpet. Instead, I expanded on them and now Mama Brett is going to stay for an additional chapter or two, and the real fluff starts next chapter ;)  
> Anyway, I just want to thank all of you again for reading, commenting, and leaving kudos! I get so excited about reading your thoughts! :)

**May 1st, 2020 ~ Amelia 5 weeks old**

The next few days were straining for everyone.

Amelia had been waking up a lot during the nights, crying for no apparent reason for unusually long periods of time, just as she had the days before. Her crying mostly started closer to the evening now, and for the rest of the day, she would be relatively calm. She still had a few fussy periods now and then, but most of the day she was content.

After another day of this behavior, Sylvie had taken her to the doctor, even though her mom assured her that it was normal. Amelia’s doctor had thoroughly checked her out and had done more tests than necessary before assuring Sylvie that Amelia was fine. She didn’t even meet the requirements to be classified as colic yet, and Sylvie couldn’t imagine how anyone would be able to take care of a baby that cried more than Amelia without losing their mind.

Even with her mom there, Sylvie was just stressed and overwhelmed most of the time. The argument with Matt was still in the back of her mind, and she hadn’t attempted to talk with him again just yet. Adding to that, Emily had gotten accepted back into Northwestern and was moving out in a few short months. The search for a caregiver for Amelia wasn’t going too well either, and her list of things to take care of just got longer each day.

Which is how she ended up on her couch in the middle of the night with a screaming Amelia in her arms. The baby had just finished her bottle before launching into another screaming fit, and the second Amelia had started to cry, Sylvie’s own eyes watered and tears rolled down her cheeks too.

She tried to hush the baby softly, cradling her close to her chest and patting her hand rhythmically against her bum. It was Matt’s special way to stop her from screaming out her lungs, but it didn’t work as well for her. Just the thought of him increased her waterworks, and she sniffled quietly.

“Sylvie, sweetheart. Why are you crying?” Her mother’s gentle voice reached her ears, and a moment later, Elizabeth Brett sat down next to her on the couch.

Sylvie turned her head towards her. “Can you please take her? I can’t do it, Mom.”

“No, honey, you have to calm her yourself,” her mother denied her request as she shook her head. “I’m just here to help you learn how to.” She reached her hand out and her fingers tangled in Sylvie’s short blonde hair.

The soft brushing of her mother’s fingers against her scalp resulted in more tears streaming down her face, and she hiccupped as her breathing got out of control. Amelia’s head felt hot on her arm from all the screaming, and Sylvie offered her the pacifier again, but the baby didn’t take it.

“As long as you don’t stop crying, your baby isn’t going to either, Sylvie,” her mother informed her and while her voice was still gentle, it carried an underlying firmness with it. “You’re her mother, and the two of you are connected in a very special way. She can sense your nervousness, just as you can feel her pain.”

“I don’t feel like I’m her mother,” Sylvie sobbed, struggling for air. “Her mother died. _Our_ mother died. I’m just her sister.”

“Motherhood is more than just blood relations. We’re not related by blood, and you’re still my daughter,” Elizabeth countered, wrapping her arm around her daughter. “You are the one taking care of her night and day, loving her no matter how much she cries. You’re the only one she knows as her mother.”

“It feels wrong to just take Julie’s place. She wanted to raise her and see her daughter grow up, but instead she never got to meet her.” She paused, wiping a few tears of her cheeks. “I don’t want her to resent me for being her mother even though I’m biologically her sister. It’s going to confuse her.”

“I might not have known Julie very well, but I’m sure she would have wanted you to take care of Amelia. And this little girl is going to love you no matter what you call yourself, but keep in mind that no one except you will ever be able to take the role of being her mom,” Elizabeth reminded her as she pressed a kiss to her head. “You can give her siblings in the future, I hope you do, but she will never get a mom, if you don’t choose to be hers.”

Sylvie chuckled wetly at her mother’s side comment, swallowing down the lump in her throat. “Let’s please not talk about me having more babies when I’m hardly able to take care of this one. Besides, I don’t have anyone willing to have more with me.”

“I can think of at least one person who would be willing to have a bunch of kids with you,” her mother teased her, giving her a soft squeeze.

Sylvie rested her head on the older woman’s shoulder, groaning softly. “I have more than enough people giving me grief about him, I don’t need you to start too.”

“He’s a handsome man, and he seems to have his heart in the right place. Besides, you’ve sang him a lot of praise these last few months, and that leaves me as your mother wondering. That’s all I’m saying.” Elizabeth rested her cheek against Sylvie’s head and the two of them fell into a comfortable silence.

Sylvie concentrated on taking deep, steady breaths, calming her racing heart, and stopping her tears. After a few more sniffles, she felt the tension leaving her body, and just a few minutes later, Amelia calmed down in her arms too.

“Seems like Grandma is right, sweets,” Sylvie whispered as she trailed one of her fingers gently over the baby’s cheeks. “She’s the best mommy I could have asked for, and I will try to be the best mommy to you. I promise.” She pressed a kiss to the baby’s head as Amelia closed her eyes and fell asleep again.

“You will be the best mom to her, honey,” her mother assured her. “And your father and I are incredibly proud of who you have become.”

“Thanks, Mom. I love you.”

“I love you too, sweetheart.”

* * *

**May 2nd, 2020  
**

The next day, Sylvie’s world was looking much better.

After her talk with her mother, her confidence had slowly come back, and Amelia’s crying wasn’t putting her into panic mode any more. Instead, she focused her energy back on finding a caregiver for the baby, inviting a few candidates over for interviews the next day. Adding to that, she also started to research different techniques that might help her calm Amelia during her crying periods. She felt herself getting back into a rather productive state, and it eased her mind immensely.

After writing a to-do list for the next few days, Sylvie found herself sitting on the playmat in front of Amelia’s crib in the early afternoon. Amelia had just woken up, and after a quick diaper change, they had sat down for some tummy time. Her mother was sitting opposite her, and Amelia was laying between them on her tummy.

She looked like a stranded turtle on her back, grunting unhappily. The baby clearly didn’t understand the importance of strengthening her neck muscles, getting frustrated every time she laid on her tummy.

“There you go, sweets. Just lift your head up one more time, and we’re done for now. You can do it,” Sylvie encouraged her as she watched Amelia’s legs kick around, her face resting with her nose first on the ground.

With a loud wail, Amelia moved her head to the side, barely lifting it off the ground, but Sylvie let it count, scooping her up and plastering her face with tiny kisses as she leaned her back against the crib.

“You’re such a good girl, sweets. Just wait until you can hold your head up on your own, it’s gonna make your life so much easier,” she cooed in a high pitched voice as she pushed her legs up, planting her feet on the ground before settling Amelia on her thighs.

“She looks so much like you when you were little,” Elizabeth mused, leaning over and stroking over Amelia’s head. “I should have brought the photo album of your first year.”

Sylvie chuckled softly. “Matt’s been saying the same thing. He’s only seen two baby pictures of me that Julie gave to me, but apparently we have the same nose.”

“Hm, is that so?” Her mother hummed.

Sylvie sighed. She didn’t mean to bring him up, but she couldn’t get him out of her head. It’s been five days since she had last spoken with him, and each day that passed made her feel worse.

“I miss him, Mom,” she confessed quietly. Amelia gurgled and Sylvie flashed her a soft smile as she grabbed her tiny hands. Life as a baby was so much easier.

“Oh honey, you still haven’t talked to him?” Her mother asked surprised.

Sylvie shook her head. “I still think it was wrong of him to answer my phone and invite you to Chicago without my knowledge, but on the other hand it was the best thing he could have done for me. I mean look at me. If you wouldn’t have been here the last couple days, I’d still be a mess.”

“Why don’t you tell him exactly that? He doesn’t know what’s going on in your mind,” Elizabeth reminded her as she slid over the playmat to sit next to the two of them. “You just got mad at him like you did when your brother hid one of your dolls when you were little. It transported me back in time for at least 20 years.” The older woman chuckled softly.

“I was pretty harsh to him,” Sylvie admitted, biting the inside of her cheek. “I was hurt and angry with him because I thought he was pulling away which was a dumb thought. He was just being his usual, sweet, overbearing self.” She puffed out some air. “I guess I just had this idea in my head that he would be the one to help me tackle this new situation.”

“He sounds like someone very special to both you and Amelia,” her mother remarked, turning her head to look at her.

The paramedic took a shaky breath. “You should see him with Amelia. He looks at her like she is the most precious thing on the entire planet.” She paused, leaning forward and pressing a kiss to each of Amelia’s hands. “He’s been a constant in my life over the last few months, and I can’t imagine living my life without his constant presence.” 

“It sounds like he is more than just a friend,” her mother voiced Sylvie’s sincere desire.

Deep down, Sylvie knew that most of her friends knew about her attraction to Matt and that it was hardly a secret anymore. Emily and Stella had both called her out on it, and it was a miracle that Ritter and Gallo hadn’t commented on it yet, probably merely out of respect for their captain.

Her mother knew her better than anyone, and it didn’t surprise Sylvie that she picked up on the less than subtle clues she had given her the last few days. Sylvie had always valued the older woman’s opinion, and they had often talked through a lot of Sylvie’s issues and doubts before. And in all honesty, she really wanted to get her mother’s input on her dilemma with Matt.

“He shouldn’t be,” she started, her fingers brushing over Amelia’s tiny fists. “I can give you a million reasons why we should never cross the line of friendship, the most important one being that he’s my best friend's ex-husband and I have Amelia to think of now.” She wrinkled her brows, softly shaking her head. “Yet, it only takes one smile from him, and my whole world is turned upside down.” 

“I understand that the concept of dating your friend’s ex-husband requires some getting used to, but they got divorced and if I remember correctly, Gabby lives in Puerto Rico now. She seems to be out of the picture,” her mother countered. 

“She came back for a visit last fall, and Matt met up with her. I don’t know exactly what happened, but he seemed really happy the next day. Their relationship was special. They had the love of a lifetime, and I would never be able to match up to that.” The thought alone made her incredibly sad, and she willed down her tears. 

“Sylvie, honey, no one expects you to measure yourself up to Gabby.” The older woman cupped her cheek and moved her head to the side until they locked eyes. “A part of Matt might always love her, but that doesn’t mean he can’t love anyone else for the rest of his life. Love has many different facets, and he could love you just as deeply as her, but in a completely different way. Don’t sell yourself short, sweetheart. There are many different things that make you unique in your own special way.” 

Sylvie nodded her head against her mom’s hand, staying quiet. 

“Share your fears with him, I’m sure he can ease your mind,” her mother urged her, stroking her thumb over her cheekbone once before lowering her hand again. “And Amelia is not a reason for you to say no to him. Just because you’re a mom now, doesn’t mean you’re not allowed to find love. It just means you need to find someone who loves you both, but from what I’ve heard, Matt’s already head over heels for at least one of you.” 

Sylvie pulled in a breath, slowly releasing it again as she contemplated her mother’s words. It was a lot to think about, maybe even enough to reconsider her determination to not change their relationship status, but before she could make any decisions, she needed to talk to him again. They needed to clear the air, and once she had accomplished that and they were at least back on the friendship path, she could consider pursuing more with him.

* * *

The loud noises inside of Molly’s made Matt’s head thump in pain. He hastily took a sip from his beer to hopefully numb the pain, but he knew he would have to drink a lot more than one beer to dull the aching in his head, and those days were over.

He was sitting at the bar with Severide who was quietly talking to Stella. The firefighter was working tonight, even though she spent more time leaning over the bar to flirt with her boyfriend than taking orders. It had earned her a few jabs of Hermann’s towel already, but she didn’t seem to mind.

Matt was happy his friend had Stella, but tonight he wished they would stop rubbing their love-sick behavior under his nose. He could only imagine what it would be like when they got home later.

At the moment, Severide had his hand wrapped around Kidd’s elbow, the woman leaning over the bar as he whispered something into her ear that made her smile, and Matt could see a hint of embarrassment flash over her face that he wished he hadn’t seen. Just as Stella moved away from him, his friend stopped her with a kiss that was just a little too deep for their surroundings.

“Is there any way the two of you could stop smooching right in front of my face?” He scoffed as he placed his beer back onto the bar with a loud thud.

“Sheesh, is she still giving you the silent treatment?” Stella sounded up, separating herself from Kelly.

“Zip it, Kidd,” he growled, leveling the woman with a hard stare. She held up her hands in front of her, pushing her chin to her chest. 

“Hey, don’t talk to her like that. It’s not her fault,” Severide warned him. His friend turned towards him, slapping his hand down onto the bar in front of him. “You’ve put yourself into this situation, so don’t go around blaming others.”

Matt pressed his lips into a tight line, shifting his gaze onto his beer bottle in front of him. He’d rather not reply to his friend, mainly because he was right. It was his fault and he couldn’t do a lot about it now. He was aware of his sour mood, but Sylvie hadn’t talked to him in days, and he felt miserable.

He missed the sound of her voice, her soft laugh, and the way her eyes shone with delight whenever she was happy. He longed to feel her close to him again, to hold her in his arms or to just squeeze her arm gently, but if he had to choose between not seeing her at all or just hearing her voice, he would be satisfied with the later. He just missed her.

Emily had taken pity with him earlier, assuring him that she was feeling better and that she was glad her mother was in Chicago. It had given him hope to hear from her soon, but she still hadn’t made contact with him. He had stared at his phone for hours on end over the last few days, and right now it was laying face-down in front of him on the bar next to his beer bottle. The constant dark screen had mocked him, and when it did light up, it had just been a text from his niece, Violet.

It reminded him that he still owed his niece an answer. She was the last person who was responsible for his awful mood, so he reluctantly picked up his phone, switching on the screen and his heart stopped.

**Sylvie Brett**

Missed call (2)

“Shit,” he cursed silently as he jumped up from his chair and unlocked his phone. She had called him about ten minutes ago, and he tried to remember why he didn’t hear his phone vibrating against the wood of the bar.

“You good, man?” Severide asked him, but Matt ignored him, quickly heading for the door.

On his way out, he came face to face with Gallo who smiled at him widely and looked like he wanted to say something, but Matt waved him off too, stepping past him.

The second he closed the door of the bar behind him, he pressed onto Sylvie’s name. Taking a calming breath, he raised the phone to his ear. The dialing signal sounded, and he walked down the street, letting it ring until it went to voicemail.

Damn it! How could he be so stupid and miss her call? He had waited days and now he missed his chance. A string of curse words left his mouth as he stuffed his phone back into the front pocket of his jeans when he felt it vibrate against his fingers.

Swiftly pulling it out again, he saw Sylvie’s name on the screen and without hesitation, he swiped across the screen to answer her call.

“Sylvie?” He questioned as he held the phone to his ear.

“Hi, Matt.” Her voice was soft almost hesitant, but it made the tension in his body disappear in seconds, his headache long forgotten.

“I’m sorry I missed your call. I was at Molly’s, and it was pretty crowded.” He had broken his promise of always picking up, and he felt terrible.

“Don’t worry. Am I calling at a bad time?” He could clearly hear her hesitance now.

“No!” He quickly answered. “I was thinking of heading out soon anyway.”

“Oh, OK.”

There was a short pause before both of them spoke at the same time.

“I’m sorry—”

“I’m sorry—”

Matt chuckled and he could hear Sylvie laugh softly too. It eased some of the tension between them, and he cleared his throat.

“You go first,” he offered politely.

“Well, I wanted to say I’m sorry for being so harsh to you about calling Mom,” she apologized, and he heard her shift around. “My emotions were all over the place, and I was hurt and angry, and I misinterpreted your actions into something they weren’t.”

“No, I’m sorry, Sylvie. You have every right to be angry with me. Picking up your phone and asking your mother to come to Chicago was an intrusion of your privacy, and I should have never made that call without your approval.”

“Then why did you?” Her voice was small, and he could hear the lingering hurt in her voice.

“Between shift and my construction business I just knew that I wouldn’t be able to give you the amount of help you really needed,” he explained, huffing. “Trust me, I wanted nothing more than to be the person who helps you adjust to your new life with Amelia, but it wasn’t possible, and I couldn’t stand by and watch you struggle. I knew you were close with your mother, and when she called, I just reacted.”

There was a small pause in their conversation, and Matt feared that his explanation might have not been enough. Suddenly, he was hyperaware of the cool air that was sweeping through his clothes, and goosebumps erupted on his arms. He had told her the truth, and honesty had always worked for him before.

“I wished you would have included me in this decision,” she sighed, but continued with the next breath, “But having Mom here with me has been a true blessing, and I am thankful that you called her.”

“You are?”

“I am,” she emphasized slowly, drawing the ‘am’ out. “But Matt let’s not make this a habit. I don’t like it when we’re not talking.” He heard her take a deep breath, before she added in a low voice, “I missed you.” 

He felt the blood rush through his veins as a warm feeling spread through his body, and the cold night air that had just given him chills a few moments ago, was now a welcome sensation against his skin.

“I missed you too, and not talking to you felt like torture,” he blurted out and the hand that wasn’t holding his phone rubbed absentmindedly over his chest. “I was also repeatedly told that I’ve been insufferable these past few days.” 

Sylvie laughed softly, and her laugh was music to his ears. “You get so grumpy when you’re in a bad mood.”

“Just like you get grumpy when you’re hungry,” he teased back, and a smile spread over his face for the first time in days. It felt freeing, but the desperation to see her again just doubled.

“Matt Casey, just wait until I get my hands on you!” 

It sounded more like a promise to him than anything else. He didn’t mind her hands on him at all, in fact, he couldn’t wait to be close to her.

“I’m not afraid of you, I’m actually looking forward to seeing you. You have any idea when that might be?” 

“I thought about coming to Molly’s tomorrow or coming to the station the day after. I’m not sure yet. I’ve got to talk to Mom about it,” she answered, and he heard something rustling on her side of the line. It sounded like she was pulling on a blanket, and he figured she might already be in bed.

“Or you could do both and bring Amelia and your mom to the house. I’m sure Elizabeth would be thrilled to see where her daughter works. We could give her a tour, and I could even make lunch,” he suggested. Honestly, he was getting a little too enthusiastic, he was aware of that, but he just couldn’t help it. The idea of seeing her both days felt fantastic.

“You know you don’t have to impress my mother. She likes you just fine, don’t worry,” Sylvie told him, and he could almost hear the smirk in her voice. “Besides, you just wanna have more baby cuddles, mister.” 

He hadn’t even thought about impressing Elizabeth Brett, but it would certainly be a bonus. His cooking skills were pretty decent, and Sylvie had always enjoyed his meals at the station. Because of his rank, he was hardly ever on cooking duty, but for special occasions, he did wipe up a meal for his colleagues now and then.

“Last time I checked that wasn’t a crime.” He tried to keep his voice neutral, but he could hardly keep his excitement at bay.

“You’re unbelievable,” she chuckled, but her chuckle transformed into a yawn, which she tried to stiffly unsuccessfully.

“You sound tired, I should let you sleep,” Matt said softly, and he turned around to slowly walk back to Molly’s. He hadn’t even paid his tap yet.

“Mom advised me to sleep when Amelia’s sleeping,” Sylvie explained. “And it does sound like I’ll have a lot to do in the next few days, so I might need to save up on the sleep.”

“I promise you’re getting a lot of fun and good times in return,” he smiled, stuffing his free hand into the front pocket of his pants. “And I’ll let you sleep now. Thank you for calling, Sylvie.”

“Thank you for picking up. Good night, Matt.” He heard her shift around again, and he imagined her snuggling deeper into her pillow. 

“Always,” he whispered. “Good night, Sylvie. I’m looking forward to tomorrow.” 

“Me too,” she replied before they both hung up, and Matt made his way back towards the bar with a silly smile on his face. 


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First off, thank you to everyone who's reading. I love hearing from you, and I take your comments and suggestions into consideration and try to incorporate almost everything. I also love how you point some stuff out to me because I feel like it makes this story better, so from now on, I'll add the date and Amelia's age to the chapters (Mackenzie asked for it). I'll also add those things to the older chapters. 
> 
> That being said, this chapter has more fluff again. Also, don't hate me for Casey having another secret. It's not going to stay a secret for long, but I need this for the upcoming plot ideas I have! :)

**May 3rd, 2020 ~ Amelia 5 1/2 weeks old**

“Casey, please tell me you aren’t considering this!” Kelly Severide exclaimed as he gestured straight ahead with both of his hands.

“I’m not?” Matt offered, raising his eyebrows. He was standing next to his best friend, his arms crossed in front of his chest.

“This is definitely not what I had in mind when you told me you wanted to show me something,” his friend noted dryly, his arms falling loosely down his sides. “This is a joke, right?”

“We both knew our current situation was just temporary,” Matt shrugged before stuffing his hands into the pocket of his jeans. “Kidd’s moved in now, and it’s about damn time that I moved out. I’ve been staying with you long enough.”

“I know that, but I figured you would just get a new apartment,” the squad lieutenant countered, shaking his head. “This is a house, Case. You can’t be serious!”

“Actually, this is _my_ house. I bought it last week,” Matt corrected him with a smirk. “I just wanted to give you a tour and rob you into lending me a hand.” 

Severide stared at him with an unreadable expression. “Are you out of your mind? This piece of crap looks like it’s gonna fall apart any second.” 

Matt pursed his lips as he mustered the house in front of them. It was a two-story red brick house with a small front yard that was divided by a paved path that led to the stairs leading up to the front porch. 

The exterior wasn’t in the best shape, giving the house a pretty worn out look. The yard was full of weed and the grass was overgrown. At some point, the house seemed to have a fence, but only some of the pickets were still present. The front porch railing wasn’t looking any better and the porch itself was cluttered with various items. Some of the windows were broken, and the front door was nailed shut with a wooden plank.

“That’s probably why I paid close to nothing for it,” Matt answered, nodding towards the house. “It looks worse than it is. Sure, it needs some work, but the structure and the foundation are still intact, and I can easily fix the rest.” 

His friend still seemed unconvinced as he crossed his arms in front of him. “Does Brett know about this?” 

“Why does she have to know?” It was a dumb question, and Matt mentally slapped himself.

“I’m gonna pretend you didn’t ask that question.” Severide took a deep breath, uncrossing his arms and rubbing a hand over his face before leveling him with a stare.

Matt took in his friend’s no-nonsense expression and huffed. “No, she doesn’t know that I bought a house and I would like it to stay that way. I’ll tell her when the time is right.” 

“Don’t hide this from her or it’s going to blow up in your face.” Kelly grabbed him by the neck, giving it a squeeze and shaking him lightly. “She likes you for you, not for what you can offer her.”

“I didn’t buy the house because of her, so can we just leave her out of this?” Matt countered as he started to walk down the path towards the door backwards.

Kelly raised his hands in front of him. “I’m just saying!”

“I appreciate the concern, but I’ve got it under control. I will tell her that I bought a house, just not right now,” Matt assured his friend and pointed towards the entrance. “Wanna go inside now?”

Severide nodded and caught up to him before the two of them walked up the stairs to the front door. Matt grabbed the wooden plank, giving it a strong tug to reveal the front door.

“It’s been empty for two years now, and it smells bad,” Matt warned his colleague as he pushed the front door open. “I’ll probably take care of the exterior first, get a new door and windows, and then tackle the rest in here.”

  
  


* * *

  
  


For the next hour, the two of them walked around the house, inspecting walls and floors, and Matt explained his vision for each room to his friend. Severide listened silently to him, only asking a question or two now and then. When they finished, they went outside into the backyard.

“You still think it’s a piece of crap?” Matt asked as he walked down the stairs of the deck.

“It needs a lot of work, but you’re right. The foundation and the structure are good, which I honestly didn’t expect, but I still don’t get why you had to buy a house,” Severide replied, sitting down on the last step of the stairs.

“I drove past it a few weeks ago, and after some research, I found out that it was on the market for less than it was worth,” Matt shrugged as he sat down next to him. “Bucktown’s a great neighborhood and the commute to work isn’t too long either. Molly’s is just a few blocks away, and you also don’t live too far away. I couldn’t say no to that.”

Severide puffed out some air. “I get that, but what do you want with a four-bedroom house? It’s way too much space for you.”

That was true, but in Matt’s head this space would be filled with laughter and little feet running through the house in a few years. It was a far-fetched dream, but buying the house made him feel closer to it like he was finally moving into the right direction, and he’d be lying if he said he didn’t know who he wanted to share this dream with. 

“I know where I want my life to go, and buying a house is the first step into this direction. I don’t want to rent again and buying another condo would just be redundant. This felt like the right time, and for once in my life, I just grasped the opportunity by the forelock,” Matt explained with a shrug. 

His friend stayed quiet for a few minutes, and the two of them sat silently next to each other.

“The renovation will take a few months,” Severide supplied, standing back up. 

“I was hoping you’d help me out from time to time. I can do most of it on my own, but for other things it might be good to have an extra pair of hands,” Matt explained, standing up too. “I won’t be out of your hair as fast as I would like, but me moving out has a deadline now. By the end of the year, I should be able to move in here.” 

“I hate to see you go, but I get it. I wouldn’t wanna live with you and Brett either,” his friend teased with a smirk on his face. 

Matt groaned and let his chin fall to his chest. He lifted his hands to his hips before looking back up as he mumbled, “Why can’t you just stop bringing her into this?”

“You’re into her,” the squad lieutenant shrugged with the smirk still covering his face. After another beat, he turned more serious. “I will help you under one condition.” 

Matt just lifted his eyebrows. 

“I’m not hiding this from Stella, and she’s friends with Brett. I don't want her to get sucked into this, so promise me you will tell her sooner rather than later.” 

Matt knew his friend was serious, and he honestly didn’t want to put him or Stella into a bind. It wasn’t right and it wasn’t his intention. He also wasn’t keen on keeping the house a secret from Sylvie, but if he told her he bought a house at the exact same time he was pursuing her, he’d be going like a bull at a gate. 

“Look, just give me a week or two to at least fix some of the exterior and air the house out. I don’t want her first expression of the house to be the same as yours,” Matt said as he turned back to the house. “She might love all those HGTV shows, but I think she’s someone who appreciates the finished project more than the renovation itself.” 

“So, you did buy the house to impress her,” his friend exclaimed, boxing his upper arm. “Now I really hope all of this works out for you.” 

Annoyed that his friend could read him so well, Matt growled, “This stays between us, and you will help me the next two weeks to get this ready.” 

Severide just laughed as he made his way up the stairs of the deck, and Matt followed him begrudgingly.

* * *

As Sylvie walked into Molly’s the day after her talk with Matt on the phone, she immediately scanned the room for Matt. She hadn’t seen him in days, and just hearing his voice last night hadn’t been enough. When her eyes finally found him at one of the tables in the back, talking to Severide, breathing seemed just a little easier again.

He didn’t notice her as his back was to her, and a wave of nervousness spread through her, so instead of going straight over to him, she made a beeline for the bar. Emily was sitting on one of the stools there, sipping her beer alone. Stella was also there, standing behind the bar and serving some officers from the 21st district.

Sylvie plopped down on the empty chair next to Emily who greeted her with a smile. “Hey, girl. You finally made it. I was afraid you changed your mind.”

“No, Mom basically chased me out of the apartment after I put the baby to bed,” Sylvie explained as she put her small purse onto the bar.

“Brett!” Stella called out to her, and Sylvie flinched. Her friend’s voice had boomed through the small bar, announcing her arrival to everyone who hadn’t noticed her yet. She had to physically force herself not to turn around to check if Matt had noticed her now too. 

“I’ve missed seeing your face. You’re coming back to shift next week, right?” Her friend asked as she reached for a wine glass, holding it up for her. “You want the good one?”

“Yes, please. It’s been too long,” she nodded eagerly, and Stella grinned at her.

“Then I won’t leave you waiting,” her friend promised her and crouched down to retrieve Sylvie’s stash. Seconds later, she appeared again, holding out the bottle to her. “Here we go, one glass of the good rosé for you, my friend.” She poured Sylvie a glass, before sliding it over to her.

“Thanks, Stella. You’re the best.” Sylvie proclaimed. As soon as the glass was in her hand, she took a generous sip from it, closing her eyes as the sweet liquid stimulated her taste buds. An involuntary moan left her lips after she swallowed, and she clasped her hand over her mouth. “Excuse me.”

Emily chuckled. “You sound like you’ve been having the worst dry spell of your life.”

“Don’t judge me. I’ve had a few rough days, and I haven’t been able to consume any good-tasting, alcoholic beverages in a while. Let me enjoy this moment,” Sylvie hummed before taking another sip.

“Tell me about it,” Stella mumbled, hiding the bottle of rosé. “I had a front row seat of the other miserable person, and I’m not interested in a repeat of that anytime soon. Got it, girl?”

“Oh yeah, I’m glad you made up with your baby daddy. He’s been letting it out on shift too. Poor Gallo is on laundry duty for the next five shifts because he hadn’t had his shirt tucked in during the briefing the other day. Talk about overreacting much!” Emily added.

“Stop calling him that, Emily,” Sylvie hissed, slapping her friend’s arm. Hopefully, nobody had overheard them. She really didn’t need to give the rest of the house any ideas.

“We just want you to know that you have quite the influence on our captain,” Stella acknowledge as she rested her hands on the counter and leaned closer to them. “He’s been much more relaxed since you called him last night. I’d say he’s even a little nervous to see you again.”

“Uh, I hate it when you two are ganging up on me.” Sylvie huffed as she set up straight, crossing her legs. “We’re good again, I promise. And I will talk more with him tonight, I just need some liquid courage first.”

“Then you better drink up. He looks like he’s gonna come over any second now,” Stella smirked, sending her a wink. “He’s been glancing at you for the last few minutes.”

“Because you announced my arrival to the whole bar!” Sylvie exclaimed before taking another sip. Taking a deep breath, she peeked over her shoulder into Matt’s direction. Their eyes met and a surge of electricity when through her. She missed his beautiful eyes.

His lips tugged upwards, and he raised his hand for a small wave. He seemed hesitant, almost insecure, but when she returned his smile, giving him a small nod, he grabbed his bottle and started to get up.

Their eyes never left each other, and she quickly mouthed ‘wait’ to him, making him halt his movements. He looked confused, but obeyed, sitting back down onto his chair. She’d rather talk to him away from her two best friends first. 

She turned back to Emily and Stella, picking up her glass. “I’m gonna go talk to him.”

“Get him, girl!” Emily clapped her shoulder and Stella winked at her once more. 

Sylvie just shook her head as she jumped off the stool and headed across the bar to Matt. Her nerves were prickling with anticipation the closer she got and when she stopped in front of the table, her heart was almost beating out of her chest. 

“Hey guys,” she greeted both of the men with a small smile on her face. “Is it OK if I sit?”

“Yes, of course! Come here,” Matt responded quickly as he took her wine glass out of her hand, putting it on the table beside him. He scooted his chair closer to the table, and she squeezed past him to take the chair by the wall. 

“So, Brett, how have you been?” Kelly asked her, spinning his beer bottle on the table. “I heard your mom’s in town.” 

Before she could answer, Matt addressed his best friend, “Didn’t you wanna go ask Stella something about tomorrow?” 

Severide raised his eyebrows as he grabbed his bottle in his hand. “I guess I did. See you guys later.” With that he stood up, leveling Matt with one more look before he disappeared towards the bar. 

“That wasn’t very nice of you. He was just being nice,” Sylvie chastised him gently. She threw her arm over the back of her chair, sitting sideways in it to face him, her hand holding onto the backrest. 

Matt angled his upper body towards her too, his position mirroring hers with his arm on his own backrest. “He’ll understand. Besides, I can’t always be the nice guy.” 

“It’s one of the things I like most about you. You always make sure that everyone around you is happy,” Sylvie confessed quietly as she lowered her eyes onto her wine glass. 

For a minute, he kept quiet and Sylvie didn’t dare to look up to him. As far as confession go, this one was pretty innocent, yet it held a lot of unspoken truths. 

“Are you happy?” He questioned her in a quiet voice, and she felt him brush his fingertips over her hand on the back of her chair. 

Her breath caught in her throat at his feather-light touch, and she sighed softly, slowly lifting her eyes to his. “I’m getting there. It’s gonna take some more time, but I think I’m moving into the right direction.” She paused as their eyes locked. “I’m glad we’re talking again. Not talking to you was terrible. Let’s never do that again.” 

His entire posture relaxed at her words and his face turned soft as he tilted his head to the side. “I couldn’t agree more, it made me feel like the summer after the mattress fire all over again.” 

Her eyes widened at his words and she glanced at her hand where his fingers were still trailing over her knuckles. She hadn’t known that her short engagement with Kyle had affected him that much, and it only made her feel guilty. 

As he tapped his fingers against the back of her hand, she glanced up to him, their eyes locking. “Don’t overthink it, Sylvie. It’s in the past.” Her mouth felt dry at the implication and she had to swallow hard. He seemed to sense her nervousness, so he lightly added, “Besides, Foster and Kidd kidnapped you and brought you back home. I’m just realizing now that I should maybe thank them for that.” He looked like he was actually considering it, his brows wrinkled.

A laugh burst out of her, and she couldn’t help but reach out and cup his cheek. He instantly leaned into her hand and briefly closed his eyes at her touch. As she tenderly brushed her thumb over his cheekbone, she whispered, “You always know how to make me smile.”

She could feel his own smile spreading over his face under her fingers just before she pulled her hand back from him. There were still at Molly’s with half of their friends spread around them. This was hardly the place for affectionate touches, even though she wanted nothing more than to bury her face against his chest and blend the world out around them.

A loud roar pulled them out of their bubble and the two of them turned their attention to the noise. Some officers from the 21st precinct were doing shots, cheering each other on. Sylvie let her gaze swipe over to Emily who was still sitting at the bar, but now with Severide and Stella sitting next to her. Emily caught her eyes, winking at her and Sylvie invited her over with a small nod of her head. While spending some time alone with Matt sounded nice, she could do so another time. With her mother looking after Amelia, it gave Sylvie a night with all of her friends, something that would be rare in the near future, and she wanted to savor this opportunity to have fun with all of them.

* * *

**May 4th, 2020**

The rest of the evening had been great. First, Stella and Severide had joined them, sitting opposite of them, and Emily had pulled up another chair to their small table too. At some point, Joe and Chloe had joined them, and their table had gotten crowded, but she couldn’t get herself to care. Matt had scooted closer to her, throwing his arm over the back of her chair and his thumb had traced over her shoulder blade for the rest of the evening. Her own hand had found its way onto his thigh after Joe had told them some stories about his newlywed life with Chloe, and Sylvie had doubled over from laughter.

It felt natural like something she had done a million times. Matt hadn’t minded, if all he had pushed his leg closer to her, and when she had glanced over at him, his beaming smile had made her heart skip a beat.

Unfortunately, they hadn’t stayed too long as her friends were on shift the next day, but Matt had driven Emily and her home. It had definitely given her a few extra minutes with him, and as she sat in the middle seat of his truck, squeezed in between Emily and him, she had felt a weird sense of déjà vu that she couldn’t quite place.

This time, Matt had squeezed her leg as he wished her a good night, and it was then that Sylvie knew everything was back to normal between them. Relieved, she had slept deeply through most of the night with only one interruption from Amelia.

When she suggested visiting the station the next day, her mother had been thrilled, and shortly before lunchtime, the two of them had driven over.

As they walked through the familiar hallway, Sylvie felt a wave of content spread through her. She was carrying Amelia against her shoulder who had just woken up from her nap, and her mother was walking beside her. The walls felt like home, and she couldn’t wait to get back to work next week. A part of her also felt bad for leaving Amelia for a whole day every third day, but it was necessary.

“I guess everyone’s in the common room. Just to warn you, they tend to get a little loud when they’re excited,” Sylvie informed her mother as they pushed the doors to the common room open.

“I can deal with that, Sylvie. Your father and his friends are still meeting every Thursday for game night, and they tend to get rowdy too,” her mother assured her just before her colleagues noticed them.

Loud cheers filled the room, and in seconds, they were surrounded by her friends who greeted them happily. Sylvie couldn’t keep up who patted her on the back or shouted a welcome to her across the room as she softly patted Amelia’s back. The baby was getting fussy from all the noise, and Sylvie sensed another crying episode happening any second.

“Knock it off, guys,” Matt’s authoritative voice filled the room, and in a blink, the room quietened down, and her friends went back to whatever they were doing before.

Matt appeared in front of them and his genuine smile blended her. His hands reached out and pried Amelia out of her arms, and before she realized, he had her tugged into the crook of his arm, pressing a kiss to her head.

“Elizabeth, it’s good to see you again. Welcome to firehouse 51,” Matt addressed her mother as he gently patted Amelia’s bottom like he had done last week. It worked wonders on the baby who just stared up at him now, grunting only a few more times. 

Sylvie was rendered speechless by the ease with which Matt Casey just swiped in and defused this situation. The way he just walked over and grabbed Amelia from her felt natural, almost domestic. For a second, she expected him to lean down and press a kiss against her lips, after he had kissed the baby’s head, but she pushed that thought away. Instead, she tried to focus her attention on her mother.

“It’s good to see you too, Matt. I’m excited to finally see where my daughter works. Thank you for inviting me along,” her mother beamed as she glanced over to Sylvie quickly with wide, excited eyes.

It was anything but subtle, and Sylvie kept a straight face when she felt Matt’s gaze land on her for a second. The paramedic knew exactly what her mother was trying to tell her with that look. She was excited to see Matt interacting with Amelia, but Matt didn’t need to know that.

He seemed unfazed by their short interaction as he suggested, “Lunch is gonna be ready in 15 minutes. Sylvie can give you a tour now, or we can wait until after lunch, and I’ll join you.”

Their conversation was interrupted by Amelia who fussed in Matt’s arms, her legs kicking through the air. His attention was immediately pulled back to her, and he grabbed one of her hands, his thumb stroking over her tiny fist. “What’s going on with you today, little lady? Are you hungry?”

“She’s due for a feeding,” Sylvie concurred and reached her hand out to stroke through the wisps of Amelia’s blonde hair. “Looks like we’re gonna take that tour after lunch, Mom. I hope you don’t mind. I don’t want her to get mad and scream down the whole station.” 

“Or I can give her a tour,” Joe Cruz jumped in, appearing behind Sylvie and resting his hands on her shoulders. “Hey, roomie!” he greeted her quickly and squeezed her shoulders.

Sylvie let her hand fall away from Amelia and turned around to her friend, offering him a small smile. She was about to greet him when her mother beat her to it.

“Joe! It’s so nice to see you again! It’s been way too long. I heard you got married last month. Congratulations!” Elizabeth addressed him with delight, immediately stretching her arms out towards him. 

Her friend crossed the distance between them and enveloped her mother in a big hug, squeezing her tightly. “You’re right! I should have taken you up on your invitation last year. Maybe I’ll come this summer with my wife Chloe.”

Elizabeth Brett had always loved Joe Cruz. After their break-up a few years ago, she had been sad that it didn’t work out between them, but she had been happy as she learned that they stayed friends. Whenever her mother had visited her in Chicago, Joe had made sure to join them at least once for dinner or lunch to catch up. Apart from Otis, Joe was the only colleague her mother knew, and Sylvie figured that knowing him gave her mom some assurance. She knew her daughter’s job was dangerous sometimes but knowing that Sylvie had someone as reliable and good as Joe around her seemed to ease her mind.

Bringing her mother to the station had been long overdue, and Sylvie was glad she could finally introduce her to the rest of the crew and show her that she had a whole assortment of friends backing her up and keeping her safe.

A smile spread over her face and she turned to face Matt who was shifting on his feet behind her. He eyed the other two people next to them carefully as if he was trying to understand their relationship. A creased had formed on his forehead and his mouth had tightened, and if Sylvie wouldn’t know better, she’d say he was envious of Joe’s relationship with her mom.

Amused, she stepped up to him and slid her hand over the one that was holding the baby against his chest. At her touch, his eyes snapped to hers and his face softened.

“You good to hold her a few minutes, so I can get her bottle ready?” She asked him with a brush of her fingers against his knuckles, before retreating her hand.

A smile formed on his face, and he blinked at her. “Absolutely, go.”

With one last smile at Matt, she turned to her mother and grabbed the diaper bag from her. As Sylvie prepared Amelia’s bottle, Joe whisked her mother away for a tour, and Matt walked around the room, bouncing Amelia in his arms, talking to her in a hushed voice. She could barely keep her eyes away from him, mesmerized by the man who so obviously loved the baby in his arms without an ounce of hesitation. Standing in the kitchen area of her workplace, surrounded by her 51 family, Sylvie realized that she might be just a bit in love with Matt Casey.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The cat's out of the bag! ;)


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You guys rock! Seriously, I woke up almost everything single day of this week with a new comment on this fic, and it motivated me to write over and over again. And again, I don't care if you write me here or on Tumblr (katie-049), I just love reading your thoughts. You're the best!! <33
> 
> I'm also still figuring out a nickname for Amelia. I want a short version of her name (like Amy, Millie, or Ams) and a nickname that only Matt uses. Sylvie uses 'sweets' and 'lovey', and until now Matt does refer to her as 'little lady' but he needs something sweeter, but nothing too sweet. You know what I mean? ;)
> 
> Three aspects of this chapter: two idiots in love, a surprise guest appearance, and family fluff ❤

**May 10th, 2020 ~ Amelia 6 ½ weeks old**

Plopping down on her bunk bed, Sylvie let out a vast sigh. Today was her first day back at 51, and it was harder than she had anticipated. It was late in the afternoon, and Emily and she had gotten several calls already. They had just come back from Med and restocked the ambulance, both of them hoping to get a break. Emily had gone to the common room to check the status of their dinner, but Sylvie wasn’t keen to mingle with the rest of 51.

She missed Amelia, constantly thinking about her. A few days ago, she had finally found a caregiver for the baby, Eileen Baker who was in her late fifties and just lost her husband to cancer a few months ago. The woman had raised four children of her own but never started another job after the kids were out of the house. After her husband’s death, she was now finding her way back onto her feet and had worked several small jobs before deciding to work as a nanny.

Eileen was wonderful, and Amelia had quickly taken to her. The older woman didn’t mind the rather unconventional hours, assuring Sylvie that she had gone through the baby stage four times in her life, the fifth one would be a piece of cake. Eileen was confident around Amelia, her interactions with her gentle and loving.

It was everything Sylvie had looked for, and she was happy to have found Eileen Baker. Elizabeth had liked her too, immediately bonding with the woman over old stories about growing up in the countryside. Her mother had left the day before, and both Sylvie and she had shed a few tears, parting with a promise to visit each other soon.

Checking her phone for a new message for the twentieth time in the last half an hour, Sylvie groaned loudly, resting her head in her hands. She loved being back at work, but at the same time, she ached to cuddle her baby.

“You don’t seem too excited to be back,” Matt’s voiced filled her ears, and she turned to see him lean against the door of his quarters.

She huffed as she tugged her right leg onto her bed to sit more comfortably. “I’m torn,” she confessed, pressing her lips into a tight line. “I’m happy to be back at work, but I miss Amelia terribly.”

Matt chuckled softly and walked closer to her. “Those sound like normal feelings to me.”

“I know they are, but it still doesn’t make it any easier.” She paused, holding up her phone. “I keep checking my phone every few minutes, and it starts to annoy me. I don’t feel like I’m really present here.”

Matt stopped at the foot of her bed, stuffing his hands into his pockets. “Are you afraid that Mrs. Baker can’t handle Amelia’s outbursts?”

“No, not at all. I was very forward with her during our first interview, and she spent the day with us two days ago. She’s wonderful with Amelia, and I have full faith in her abilities to take care of her.” Sylvie shook her head and pulled her leg off her bed, planting both feet on the ground again.

Matt took it as an invitation to sit down next to her, barely leaving any space between them. They were both wearing t-shirts, and she could feel the heat radiating from his bare arms.

“You could call her. I’m sure she understands your need to check in with her,” Matt suggested and pointed to her phone. “You can use my quarters if you like.”

“I don’t think that’s gonna help me, but thanks for the offer.” She sent him a soft smile before looking back down at her phone. “She’s already sent me a couple of pictures today, and she promised she would send another before putting her to bed later.”

“She did?”

“Yeah, she’s great. She’s trying to make this as easy as possible for me.” Biting her lip, Sylvie looked back up to him. “You wanna see the pictures?”

Matt grinned. “Always.”

Unlocking her phone, Sylvie automatically scooted closer to him until their sides were pressed against each other. Matt lifted his arm over her, resting his hand on the bed behind her as he leaned in to study the picture on the screen.

They both had no conception of personal space at this moment, their closeness totally inappropriate for their surroundings. They were at work, and one of their colleagues could walk in and see them at all times, but neither of them cared about that.

“She’s adorable,” Matt remarked as he took the phone out of her hands and zoomed in on the picture.

Sylvie only briefly glanced at the picture before her gaze landed on Matt’s face. He was totally focused on the picture in front of him, his eyes dancing with joy and amusement as he zoomed in on Amelia’s face. Her heart skipped a beat at his expression, and she could not take her eyes off him. He was so handsome and seeing him this happy while looking at a picture of her baby did things to her.

“She looks content and leaving her will get better soon. Besides, shift’s almost halfway done, and soon you’ll have her back in your arms,” he shrugged as he handed the phone back to her.

“You always know what to say to make me feel better,” she sighed as she lowered her head against his shoulder, allowing herself just a few minutes of his comforting touch.

Matt wrapped his arm around her back, his hand rubbing over her shoulder in a soothing motion. His cheek rested against her head, but this time he didn’t press a kiss against her hairline, something that she noticed as it was his signature move these days.

For a few minutes, they sat in comfortable silence, just enjoying the moment, but then, with one last squeeze to her shoulder, Matt pulled back, putting more space between them again. Sylvie instantly felt the loss of his body heat and missed their contact.

“I’m sorry to cut this short, but I need to finish some more paperwork before dinner,” he told her when he stood up. He stuffed his hands into his pockets, and it looked like he was forcing himself to not stray closer to her again.

“No, it’s fine. I should go and check on Emily too.” She stood up from her bed, smoothing down her shirt. “I’m sorry to have kept you from that. I didn’t mean to—"

“Sylvie, don’t apologize,” he interrupted her as he stepped forward and grabbed onto her hands once more. “I want you to come to me, no matter where we are. I’m glad you did.”

She pressed her lips into a tight line. “It feels a little inappropriate while we’re at work.”

“Well, this was partially about work, so if you want, you can just put this down as a mix of your friend lending you an ear and your captain making sure you’re doing OK on your first day back,” Matt offered, tilting his head to the side. “I might have gone differently about it with Kidd or Foster, but you know what I mean.”

Sylvie chuckled softly, gazing up into his eyes. “Thanks, Matt.”

He smiled at her gently, giving her hand one more squeeze before letting go. “Anytime.”

* * *

  
  


**May 11th, 2020**

It was already 8:30 am when Sylvie finally stood in front of her locker to grab her bag and head home. Her first shift back had really been hell. They were on back-to-back calls the entire day yesterday, and after a temporary break and a few hours of sleep, they had gotten called out during the night twice, and again at around 7 am.

Luckily, their last call had just been a wellness-check, but after she had finished the paperwork, she had seen that it was already past 8 am. All of her colleagues had left already, and Emily had gotten picked up by a friend just a few minutes ago, which left her standing alone in the locker room.

Exhausted, she sat down on the bench to change her shoes, leaning her elbows onto her knees. Her head felt heavy, and she rested it on her hands for just a few seconds. Her eyes closed immediately, and before she realized she drifted off to sleep.

A warm hand rubbing over her back pulled her slowly back into consciousness, and after a second of disorientation, she flinched, sitting up straight. Panicked, she turned to see Matt standing behind her.

“I can’t believe I fell asleep while changing my shoes,” she exclaimed as she rubbed a hand over her face. “What are you still doing here?”

“I had to talk with Adams from first shift,” Matt explained, opening his locker that was right next to hers. “And now, I’m taking you home. Can’t let you drive like that.”

“It’s fine, Matt. I just need some fresh air and a coffee, then I’ll be good to go,” she waved him off before finally changing her shoes. “Besides, I need my car. I have to go grocery shopping today.”

“You need a long nap and a shower,” Matt countered as he grabbed his bag.

“I don’t see a nap happening in my near future today. I have a six-week-old baby at home who isn’t exactly the queen of napping,” she answered dryly. With a sigh, she stood up, closing her locker. “I’ll be fine, Matt. I just need to get used to sleeping less.”

He closed his own locker before he crossed his arms in front of him, leveling her with a look. “Or you’ll let me drive you home in your car, and I’ll take Amelia for a few hours so you can sleep.”

“Matt—”

“Humor me, Sylvie,” he interrupted her, reaching out to lay his hand onto her arm. “Truck didn’t get called out all night. I had plenty of rest. I have a construction job in the late afternoon, until then I have nothing on my agenda. Let me help you.”

As she was about to decline, she remembered their fight from a week ago. He told her she was hesitating to ask for his help; it had been one of the reasons he called her mother. And now, a week later, they were at the same crossroad again; she hadn’t asked, but he had offered his help anyway. This was her chance to show him that she did learn something from their argument and not move their relationship backward.

She shifted on her feet, biting her lip. “If you have nothing planned, it would be nice if you could look after her for a couple of hours. I could use some uninterrupted sleep.”

She still felt uncomfortable asking him because it seemed like a lot, but the full-blown smile that spread over his face was worth it. His entire face lit up, and his joyful expression made her dizzy, so she leaned against the lockers.

“I’m happy to help,” he assured her with a squeeze of his hand to her arm. “Thank you for letting me.”

His touch grounded her, and she cleared her throat, “Maybe you’ll let me cook lunch for you then?” It seemed like a fair price.

“I’m not gonna say no to food,” he smirked as he stepped closer and turned her around. “But let’s get you home now. The sooner we leave, the sooner you can sleep.”

His hands on her shoulders kneaded her muscles for a few seconds, and she leaned into his touch, smiling. “You just can’t wait to have baby cuddles.”

“You keep accusing me of the same thing,” he mocked her with a tad of offense in his voice as he gave her a gentle push forward. “I see no crime in my excitement of spending time with that cute little lady.”

She walked towards the door of the locker room, her bag over her shoulder. “She has you wrapped around her tiny finger already,” Sylvie mused, glancing over her shoulder. “What are you gonna do in a few months when she starts talking? You’re gonna spoil her rotten.”

“Again, I see no harm in that,” Matt shrugged as he caught up to her when they reached the apparatus floor.

“You’re unbelievable,” Sylvie teased him and bumped her shoulder into his. Her tiredness seemed to have vanished at this point, and she felt more alive than before. This light teasing between them made her heartbeat quicken.

“Come on now, we should get you home,” Matt chuckled with a shake of his head.

* * *

  
  


Almost two hours later, Matt was standing at Whole Foods, Amelia strapped to his chest in the baby carrier. Sylvie was right when she told him she needed to go grocery shopping. Her fridge was more than empty, he couldn’t even find bread, let alone coffee. There was just a single container of leftover food from Eileen’s dinner sitting alone on one of the shelves. Other than that, there was a yawning void.

He decided to get at least some basic ingredients for lunch. Sylvie wanted to cook for him, but they hadn’t talked about it again, and without food at home, her plan wouldn’t work. Sylvie was a splendid cook, and Matt was certain that she could wipe up anything from scratch, so he tried to not go overboard while shopping. He already had some vegetables in his cart when he walked down the next aisle to get sieved tomatoes.

Amelia scrunched her body up against his chest, pulling her legs up and pushing her arms around inside the carrier. She had briefly slept during the car ride to the store, but when he had taken her out of the car seat she had woken up. Until now she had been calmly resting against him.

“What’s up with you, little lady? You’re usually more of a snuggle bug,” Matt addressed the baby as he patted her back gently. He stopped to press a kiss against her head, and Amelia moved her head. “Hey now, I’m not so bad. Let’s try to stay inside the carrier for a little while longer. You’ll be fine.” Pressing another kiss to her head, he cupped her head with his hand to stop her from moving it again.

“Uncle Matt?!”

He abruptly turned around towards the voice, his eyes widening. “Violet? What are you doing here?”

His niece Violet Jordan was standing a few feet away from him, a backpack hanging over her shoulder. She was almost as tall as him now, her high ponytail and her square, stacked heel ankle boots adding another inch to her height. A dark-haired teenage boy was standing next to her with a shopping basket full of party snacks, and Matt felt his jaw lock.

“I should ask you that question,” Violet countered, crossing her arm. “Did you forget to tell us something at one of the last family dinners?” She raised her eyebrows, looking at him rather accusingly. It reminded him of the look his sister used to give him back in the days.

For a second, he didn’t understand her question, but when Amelia grunted quietly, squirming more, he deflected, “I’m babysitting for a friend.”

“Which friend?” His niece walked closer to him, peeking at Amelia. “She barely looks a few weeks old. Which one of your friends had a baby? You didn’t say anything!” She sounded just a tad offended as she leveled him with a stare.

In moments like these, he forgot that his niece was 16 years old, and not the cute, but stubborn 11-year-old anymore. He longed to have these times back, especially considering the boy that was quietly standing a few feet away from them.

“Brett, the PIC from 51, adopted her. Amelia here is actually her biological sister, but unfortunately her mom died during the birth, and Sylvie took her in,” Matt explained, trailing his fingers through the baby’s blonde hair.

“Brett’s the one you drove to Rockford, right? We had to reschedule family dinner for that a few weeks back.” Violet squinted her eyes at him. “She must be important to you, if you babysit her kid now. I can’t believe neither Mom nor I picked up on that back then.”

Matt sighed, rolling his eyes. “Are we done with your cross-examination?” If anything, his niece owned him some answers. “Who’s your friend over there?” He nodded his chin into the boy’s direction.

Violet got quiet, biting her lip. “Don’t freak out now, Uncle Matt. That’s Dean, my boyfriend.”

“Your boyfriend?” Matt exclaimed, his head turning back and forth between Violet and Dean. “Aren’t you a little too young to have a boyfriend?”

“I said don’t freak out,” Violet hissed, hitting his arm. “I’m sixteen, and just for your information, both Mom and Dad know him and like him. So be nice.” She waved the boy over, who reluctantly came closer to them, his head hung low.

“Dean, this is my uncle, Matt Casey. He’s captain of firehouse 51, remember?” The young girl looped her arm through her boyfriend’s arm, her hand coming to rest on his upper arm. “Uncle Matt, this is Dean McAllen. He’s the captain of our school’s basketball team.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Captain Casey,” the teenager offered politely, stretching his hand out towards him. “Violet has told me a lot of remarkable stories about you.”

Matt pressed his lips together, swallowing his urge to interrogate the boy. He couldn’t trust Violet’s father to have vetted the boy thoroughly, and his sister had probably been much gentler with her interrogation. He itched to intimidate him just a little, but he restrained himself. This was not the place nor the time.

Instead, he grabbed the boy’s hand, giving it a tight shake. “It’s good meeting you too, Dean. I hope you treat my niece right, otherwise you’ll have me to answer to.”

“Uncle Matt!”

Dean’s eyes went wide for a second, but he quickly controlled himself, giving him a curt nod. “Of course, Mister Casey.” He retreated his hand, letting his arm fall loosely down his side.

“Was that really necessary?” His niece glared at him. “Dean’s a good guy. He’s not one of those football jocks that don’t give a damn about their girlfriends.”

“I was nice, Violet,” Matt grumbled just before Amelia let out a wail. “I do need to get going otherwise this little lady here is gonna scream down the store.”

Violet’s anger subsided at his words, and instead curiosity spread over her face again. “You seem awfully close with this baby, Uncle Matt. You’re sure, you don’t wanna tell me anything?”

Matt huffed, pushing his cart forward and stopping beside his niece. “No, Violet. There’s nothing to tell. Sylvie and I are just good friends, and I’m just helping her out during this new situation.”

Technically, that wasn’t a lie, but it also wasn’t the complete truth, but it wasn’t Violet’s business. Of course, he would tell his sister and niece about Sylvie and Amelia if anything would change concerning their relationship status, but until then, he preferred not to talk about them. They would just be two more people who’d tease him, and god forbid tried to meddle.

“Sounds like there’s no guy in her life then. Good for you,” Violet concluded, sticking out her tongue towards him at his annoyed expression.

“Violet,” he muttered, leaning over to her and pressing a kiss to her head. “I’m gonna go now. Please leave it be and don’t do anything stupid.” He pointed to her boyfriend and their basket.

“We’re just having a movie night with some friends,” she shrugged, before adding. “It’s at our apartment, and Mom’s gonna be there.”

“That sound’s responsible. Say hi to your mom for me. I’ll call her about family dinner this month in the next few days,” Matt told her, leveling her with one more look.

“I will. Promise. Bye, Uncle Matt.” With one last nod, she turned to her boyfriend, and the two of them walked down the aisle together.

Matt softly shook his head at the encounter, spying into the shopping cart to remember what else he wanted to get.

“Say hi to Brett from me,” Violet’s voice called back to him, and Matt turned to her again just in time to see her smirking at him as they disappeared out of the aisle.

* * *

  
  


It was well after 1 pm when Sylvie and Matt finished eating their lunch. Matt had honestly forgotten the time, too focused on Sylvie and Amelia in front of him. They were sitting at the small dining table next to each other, Amelia laying in Sylvie’s arms.

Right before they had eaten, Amelia had woken up from her nap. She had fallen asleep in the car on their way home, and Matt had learned that getting the baby and the groceries out of the car was a hassle. He was a strong man, but he only had two arms and he juggled around for a few minutes before he could carry the baby, the diaper bag, and the groceries at the same time.

When he had made it to the apartment, Sylvie had still been asleep. He had quietly put Amelia in her crib and then stored the groceries, before sitting down on the couch and checking his emails and messages on his phone. It had distracted him from the urge to sneak into Sylvie’s room and cuddle up next to her, something he longed to do again. The memory of the two of them laying in her bed cuddled up together was still vividly running through his head, especially at night when he laid alone in his bed.

At some point, Sylvie had emerged from her room, and they had cooked lunch together. The paramedic had done most of the work, but whenever she had let him, Matt had helped her as best as he could. He had let her order him around the small kitchen to cut vegetables or set the table, happy that she hadn’t put him on the sideline completely.

When Amelia had woken up, Sylvie had left him in the kitchen, and he had gotten a bottle ready for the baby as he had listened to Sylvie cooing at the girl from the other room. It had made his pulse quicken and a sudden warmth had spread through his body.

The feeling had stuck with him throughout lunch, and he could barely calm his racing heart. Seeing Sylvie so effortlessly feeding Amelia, who had laid in the bouncy chair at their feet, while eating her own lunch and engaging in a conversation with him, made his brain fuzzy. He was happy that Sylvie found her groove with the baby, something he always knew would happen sooner rather than later. And now, she was nailing parenting like it was the easiest thing in the world.

The whole morning, they had been in their domestic bubble: Matt taking Amelia grocery shopping while Sylvie caught up on some sleep, the two of them preparing lunch together, and the three of them now sitting together and sharing a meal. It was everything Matt could ever wish for, and he had to physically restrain himself to not confess his love or let alone grab Sylvie and kiss her senseless. This domestic bliss was both pure torture and a gift from heaven.

He caught himself staring at her more than once today, just like now. She was holding Amelia up in front of her, peppering her face with kisses as she cooed at the baby.

“Did Matt scare Violet’s poor boyfriend, sweets?” She questioned the baby softly, her voice high pitched. “Just wait until he does that with your first boyfriend. He’s gonna chase all the cute boys away, lovey.” She pressed a kiss to each of the baby’s cheeks, before nuzzling their noses together.

He could barely blink as he took large, savoring breaths. A silly grin spread over his face and he reached out to catch Amelia’s foot in his hand. The two girls sucked him into their moment, and he scooted his chair closer to them until his knees were pressed against Sylvie’s left thigh.

“She’s not gonna date until she’s at least 18,” he whispered as he stroked over the tiny foot. “You don’t need boys, little lady. They only mean trouble and break your heart. You’ll get enough love from the guys at 51.” He leaned forward and pressed a kiss to Amelia’s cheek, his arm going over the back of Sylvie’s chair.

Sylvie shifted in her chair, planting her feet on the underframe of the table so that her thighs were elevated and formed a V with her upper body. Then she gently lowered Amelia onto her lap, her tiny legs going up her stomach. The baby kicked her legs a little, and Sylvie grabbed her hands in her own, before declaring, “We’re gonna have to be extra sneaky. Mommy’s gonna help you, I promise. Matt’s not gonna know what hit him.”

He could feel his heart drumming in his chest, and his breath got stuck in his throat. He briefly wondered if a heart attack felt like this, before trying to process Sylvie’s words. Hearing Sylvie call herself ‘Mommy’ was usually only something that happened in his wildest dreams but hearing it in association with him was beyond his comprehension.

He could picture the exact scenario she had just suggested in his head. Sylvie would ask him to give a bath to their youngest while she would sneak Amelia out of the house and to her first date. It wouldn’t work though, because he’d always sense when his girls were up to something, and the two would come clean to him beforehand. Of course, he would give in to them, reluctantly letting Amelia out of the house and Sylvie would wrap her arms around him to squeeze him tightly while snuggling up against him and pressing a kiss to his cheek. It would be enough to reassure him that their daughter would be fine.

“Looks like we lost Matt there, sweets,” Sylvie chuckled softly next to him. She cupped his cheek, brushing her thumb over the skin under his eye. “You’re doing OK over there? You seem a little out of it.”

He opened his mouth, but no words came out, so he quickly closed it. Her touch distracted him even more, and he couldn’t help but lean into her hand as he tried to form at least one word. Glancing up to her, he was met with her gentle, blue eyes that eyed him with a mix of concern and happiness. It didn’t help him, and he briefly closed his eyes, trying one last time to gather his thoughts.

Amelia gurgled loudly, and Sylvie turned her attention briefly to the baby. “Are you happy, sweets? Mommy’s glad we can entertain you so easily today,” she purred, scrunching her nose up and smiling warmly at the baby.

The little girl continued to gurgle, and Matt opened his eyes to watch her too, just in time to see a smile spread over the baby’s face.

“Matt! Did you see that? She smiled at us!” Sylvie exclaimed before she leaned down to pepper the baby’s face with kisses again. Her hand fell from his cheek, but the pure joy on her face was worth it.

“You’re such a good girl, lovey. Smiling is so much better than all that crying. You should do it all the time. It makes all of us so happy,” she beamed as she nuzzled her nose to the baby’s.

Matt lifted his hand to Amelia’s head, letting his fingers card through her short wisps of hair, before bowing his head towards Sylvie and pressing a kiss to her hairline. “She’s gonna be a heartbreaker,” he rasped, clearing his throat after the words left his mouth.

Sylvie just chuckled softly as she continued to coo at the baby, encouraging her to smile again, and Matt just knew that he couldn’t wait any longer to show Sylvie how desperately he wanted to be a part of their little family. Today gave him a glimpse of his possible future, and it was everything he had ever wanted, and it was about damn time that he finally took the right steps towards it. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter has a little time jump in it! :)


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Writing has been going well this last week, so I'm halfway done with the next chapter too. I'm restarting my internship today, so I'll have less time for writing but for now, I seemed to have it under control.   
> I'm also loving all the asks on Tumblr. I just found them yesterday, but I hope I answered all of them now! I'll be checking it more regularly from now on I promise. The response to this story is just blowing my mind, guys. Honestly, I'm feeling all the love from you ♡
> 
> Now a few words to the chapter. Every story needs to have a little action and a small scary part. Again, this is just bringing us closer to what we all want! ;) 
> 
> Oh, and I don't work in the medical field so the medical stuff might not be really accurate.

**May 25th, 2020 ~ Amelia 8 ½ weeks old**

When Sylvie and Emily arrived at the scene of their call, the street in front of the five-story apartment complex was packed with several emergency vehicles. 61 had gotten the call about an apartment complex on fire with multiple victims just as they left the hospital after dropping off their last patient, and Emily had gotten them to the scene in record time.

As Sylvie exited the ambulance, she glanced around the busy street, taking in the scene in front of her. The top two floors of the building were on fire, flames blazing out of the windows and thick smoke coming out of some of the other ones on lower floors. Her colleagues were already running around, evacuating the area around the building, and escorting some tenants towards the few ambulances on the side. Squad 3 and truck 81 were standing in front of the building masking up to clear the rest of the building, and Sylvie spied Matt standing close to the house with Gallo by his side.

Years on the job had taught her to stay calm and level-headed, not fearing the worst with every fire they responded to, but seeing Matt running into a burning building, made her feel uneasy these days. Of course, it was his job, and he had years of experience in the department, but he was also someone who could be reckless, heading headfirst into dangerous and impossible situations.

As she watched him disappear into the building with Gallo at his side, she felt fear creeping slowly into her veins, giving her chills. It was a terrible feeling, one that she had to learn to control better.

Seconds later, she was forced into action by Foster, who grabbed her arm and pulled her over to the victims that were sitting spread around the curb on the other side of the street. Her colleague had already gotten their ambo bag, and Sylvie blinked a few times as she sat down in front of a woman, sending her a gentle smile. 

As she checked vitals and covered burns, her focus shifted entirely back onto her job, her worry for Matt slipping into the background. Most of the tenants had gotten out safely, only two of them suffering from minor smoke inhalation. One victim from the upper floor had a first-degree burn, and one of the ambulances took him to Med.

“Brett, Foster!” Chief Boden’s voice rang through the air, and Sylvie’s head snapped into his direction. “Get ready for Gallo and Casey coming out with two victims.”

Relieved to know that Matt seemed to be in one piece, Sylvie stood up, collecting the ambo back and moving closer to the building’s entrance, Emily hot on her heels. Just a few seconds later, she saw Gallo and Matt exiting the house, carrying two victims. Matt was carrying a little boy in his arms whose face was covered with an oxygen mask, and Sylvie’s heart stopped as she glanced at Matt’s face free of said mask.

Her heart was hammering in her chest as Severide grabbed the boy from his arms, slipping the mask off him and rushing him over to them. He placed the boy on the ground in front of Emily before stepping back. Her eyes didn’t leave Matt, who doubled over from coughing, his face covered in soot, his eyes never leaving the little boy.

Next to her, Emily reacted instantly, kneeling down next to the child, and Sylvie watched out of the corner of her eye how she leaned down to check if he was breathing.

“Brett!” Her partner’s voice was firm, and she glimpsed down at the lifeless body at her feet, before jumping into action.

She had just kneeled on the other side of the boy when Capp and Tony placed the woman Gallo was carrying on the ground a few feet away from the child.

“Stella, help Emily,” Sylvie called out to her friend who quickly shrugged off her turnout coat and took Sylvie’s place on the ground as Sylvie moved over to the other victim.

The woman was young, probably the mother of the child. She was in terrible shape, and before even checking for a pulse, Sylvie knew she was gone. Following protocol, Sylvie continued her examination, checking for a pulse. There wasn’t one and judging by the burns around her nose area and the burns Sylvie could spy on the sides of her body that seemed to spread over her entire back, reanimation would be ineffective.

“Clear!” Her partner’s voice rang through the air, and Sylvie let her gaze swipe over to her. Emily delivered the shock, and it was then that Sylvie’s ears were filled with the monotone beeping sound of the heart monitor.

Violet Lin and her partner from ambulance 99 walked over to them, and Sylvie shook her head as they pointed to the young woman at her feet. “She’s gone.”

Standing up, Sylvie moved closer to the boy, stopping by his head as she watched Emily giving him another shot of EPI and Stella pressing on his chest. A crowd had gathered around the kid, shielding him from bystanders and the other tenants of the house.

“Clear,” Emily yelled loudly, waiting for a second before shocking him again. His tiny body jerked off the ground, but the heart monitor continued the monotone beeping. Stella resumed chest compressions, but the look on Emily’s face told Sylvie that it was too late for the kid.

“Do something, Foster,” Matt’s voice boomed from the side, and Sylvie pressed her lips together at the wheezing of his voice. He was standing by the boy’s feet, still hunched over, with Severide standing next to him.

“Let’s do one more round of EPI,” Emily declared as she pushed one more vial. “Clear!”

Her partner delivered the third shock, but the monotone beeping didn’t change. Emily sighed, shaking her head at Stella whose head fell to her chest. “He’s not coming back.”

“Kidd, do not stop CPR!” Matt yelled and Stella flinched, raising her head to look at him. Sylvie’s eyes were glued to Matt now, and she itched to walk over to him and check him out, but she stood frozen in her spot, taking in the horrible scene in front of her.

“There’s nothing we can do, captain,” Emily told him in a gentle voice that Sylvie rarely heard from her friend. “He’s not responding.”

“He was breathing when I found him,” he rasped, stopping when another coughing fit overcame him. “His mother shielded him from the fire. He had a pulse when we got out.”

His voice was rough, and Sylvie was sure he was suffering from smoke inhalation. Adding to that, he was in agony over seeing that little boy die, god knows how horrible it must have been to find mother and son in the middle of the fire.

Emily took a steadying breath, standing up from the ground. “I’m sorry, captain, but there is nothing I can do.”

“You’re just gonna give up on him? Start CPR again, Kidd! That’s an order!” Matt yelled at Kidd, who averted her gaze onto her hands, staying in her position on the ground, but not following his order.

“That’s enough, Case,” Severide cut in, stepping in front of his friend, partially shielding him from the two dead people on the ground.

“It’s not enough,” Matt snarled as he tried to step around Kelly. “He was breathing when we left the building, I gave him my mask!”

“Which was stupid and reckless and against protocol,” the squad lieutenant countered forcefully, pushing Matt back by the shoulders. “You could have gotten yourself killed!”

“Get out of my face or I’ll write you up for insubordination,” Matt barked, before being hit with another coughing storm.

It was the last straw that Sylvie needed to snap back into action.

“That’s enough, Matt,” she warned him as she walked over to the captain and the lieutenant, stepping between them. “You’re suffering from smoke inhalation, and we need to get you to Med before it gets worse.”

“I’m fine, Brett,” he deflected, pushing himself up into a standing position. His voice was gentler, but it still carried a certain force with it.

“You’re not fine,” she growled, fisting his turnout coat. “Stop attacking everyone else and walk your ass over to the rig or I will report you.”

She stared him down forcefully, and while she could see the anger on his face for her harsh tone, he shuffled away from the scene, stumbling on his feet.

“Help him,” she snapped at Severide, who nodded obediently and followed his friend. She turned to Emily and Stella, gesturing to the little boy. “Take care of him and meet me at the rig afterward.”

Without another word, she turned to walk towards the rig too, taking slow, deep breaths to calm her racing heart and mind. Everyone knew she could hold her own when the situation called for it, but that didn’t mean she particularly enjoyed it. Especially when she had to yell at the captain of their own station in front of all their friends and several other fire companies around them. If Matt was anyone else, he could write her up for it, but she knew he wouldn’t. Her own threat to report him was just as empty, but it had always worked so far.

By the time she reached the ambulance, Matt was sitting on the back of the rig, hunched over and panting. Severide was standing next to him, his hands lifted to his hips. The lieutenant was agitated, probably still angry at his friend for acting this reckless and then letting it out on Kidd. He seemed torn between staying and leaving, shifting around on his feet.

“I got it from here,” she clarified as she hopped into the rig to grab some supplies. She didn’t turn around to see Severide leaving, but when she jumped out of the rig, he was gone.

“Take off your turnout coat, I need to check your lungs,” Sylvie ordered Matt, pushing his body upwards.

Slowly and with strain, Matt shrugged out of the heavy coat, letting it fall down his back. It caused him to breathe heavier, and Sylvie had to take another calming breath herself, grabbing the hood around his neck. She pulled it over his head, carelessly throwing it to the side before her fingers moved to the buttons on his captain shirt and opened them. “I’m gonna reach inside your shirt and listen to your lungs now. Try taking steady breaths.”

Without waiting for his answer, she put the earpieces of her stethoscope into her ears and reached her hand into his shirt, placing the chest piece on the bare skin of his chest. For several minutes, she listened closely to the sounds of his lungs, briefly straying a little closer to the left to listen to his heartbeat before she pulled back again.

Matt fell into another coughing fit, leaning forward and resting his forehead against her stomach. He felt heavy, and she reckoned he must be exhausted and hurting.

“You’re suffering from smoke inhalation, Matt. We need to get you to Med,” she whispered softly, and her hands landed on his shoulders, stroking through the hair on the base of his neck.

“He needed the oxygen,” Matt mumbled as he rolled his head against her stomach. “He had a pulse, but he was barely breathing. I knew his mother wouldn’t make it. She died trying to protect him, and I had to try to save him.” His voice was barely audible, his shoulders heaving with each word.

“I know, Matt, but you hurt yourself in the process and that’s not OK,” she chastised him gently, stroking her hands through his hair. “You have people who care about you too, don’t you ever forget that.” She couldn’t imagine not having him in her life, and tears pressed against the back of her eyes as she choked up.

Bless Matt Casey as he sensed her panic and reached his hands up to her hips, holding onto her too. “I’m still here. Can’t get rid of me that easily.”

She let out a wet chuckle, bowing her head and pressing a kiss to his hair. He smelled like smoke, but she couldn’t care less.

When he started coughing again, she retreated from their embrace, ushering him inside the ambulance. The small way to the stretcher inside left him almost breathless, and he winced as he sat down.

Sylvie quickly placed an oxygen mask over his face, stopping to caress his cheek. “How’s the pain? You want me to give you something?”

He closed his eyes at her touch, taking a few deep breaths with the mask on that resulted in more coughing. “I don’t want anything.”

Of course, he was too stubborn to take pain meds, even though it was obvious that his lungs were hurting more with each breath he took.

She patted his cheek gently, waiting for him to open his eyes. “I still need you to take slow, deep breaths, Matt. Your oxygen levels are low, and I really don’t wanna intubate you, you hear me?” She paused, waiting for him to nod. “You’re still getting an IV with some fluids, and I’m gonna hook you up to the monitor. We’re not taking any risks. You can argue with your doctors at Med about pain meds.”

In the following minutes, she worked on getting Matt ready for the transport, and at some point, Emily got back to the rig, checking in with them before closing the doors and hopping into the driver’s seat. The ride to Med was spent in silence as Sylvie concentrated on the continuous beating of Matt’s heart. Her gaze was fixed on his face, her arm resting on the backrest of the elevated stretcher, her fingers playing softly with the hair on his forehead. His eyes were closed, but he was holding her hand, his thumb brushing over the back of her hand, reassuring her he was still awake.

Right before they stopped at the emergency room, Sylvie leaned forward and pressed a kiss to his sweaty forehead. “You’ll be fine. I’m right here with you.”

The fact that he didn’t even open his eyes at her words left her unsettled. He just gave her hand a squeeze, one that was lacking any strength, and Sylvie had to take another calming breath to not freak out.

* * *

Half an hour later, Sylvie sat squished in between Stella and Emily in the waiting room of Med. The rest of the crew had also gathered in the small space, filling every available seat. It reminded her of the last time they had all been waiting on news about one of their own, and a shiver went down her spine. The two events were hardly comparable as Otis was in a way worse state than Matt when he arrived at the hospital.

Matt wasn’t dying, that was for sure, but smoke inhalation was still a severe injury for a firefighter. If his lungs were damaged, there was a possibility of him not returning to the job. It would be a great loss for their station, and Sylvie couldn’t imagine how horrible it would be for Matt. He loved his job, and she was sure he’d someday become chief.

Wrapping her arms around herself, she willed the dark thoughts away. Hopefully, it wasn’t as bad, and he just needed to rest.

“Don’t assume the worst,” Stella sounded up next to her as she threw her arm around Sylvie’s shoulder. “That man has ten lives, I swear.”

Sylvie leaned her head on her friend’s shoulder, sighing. “That’s the thing, he’s never gonna stop taking unnecessary risks.”

“Tell me about it, it feels like Kelly and Casey are trying to top each other. When one of them does something stupid and reckless, the other has to do something even more stupid and reckless. Feels like a never-ending game between them,” Stella huffed, rubbing her shoulder.

“Don’t forget the way they lecture each other about it afterwards,” Emily added with a chuckle.

The blonde paramedic pulled her lip between her teeth, gnawing on it. “I’m not sure I can live like this. I’d be in a constant state of worry whenever he’s out on a call.”

“Girl, no. Don’t think like that,” Emily interrupted her train of thoughts. Her friend turned to her, crossing her legs and patting Sylvie’s thigh gently. “You can’t focus on that part. Something could happen to all of us at every single call.”

“Foster’s right. Of course, I’m worried when Kelly does some crazy shit and risks his life, but it’s in his job description as a firefighter and I know he’s a damn good one. He knows what he’s doing and so does Casey,” Stella reassured her, giving her shoulder a soft squeeze.

“Besides, you’ll only have to worry every third day. The other two days in between are reserved for pure happiness with your baby daddy,” Emily teased her.

Sylvie’s head flew up from Stella’s shoulder and into the direction of her friend. “Why do you have to keep calling him that? It’s inappropriate.” She swatted her friend’s hand off her thigh, shaking her head.

“If you two will ever stop making heart eyes at each other, I might consider dropping it, but I honestly don’t see that happening. You’re gonna get together and have some more cute babies,” Emily explained with a mischievous grin on her face.

Mortified at her friend’s words, Sylvie leaned forward and hid her face in her hands. Thankfully, the three of them sat far enough away from any prying ears, so nobody had heard her comment. For Sylvie, it only unleashed her very inappropriate thoughts about Matt and herself laying in bed in a super compromising position.

“Don’t be ashamed, Brett. We’re all gonna laugh about this in a few years when you’re married,” Stella continued Emily’s teasing, rubbing her hand over her back.

Her words made Sylvie sit up again, and she leveled her friend with a pointed look. “You’re one to talk. I might be the first one with a baby, but you’ll be the first one to get married.”

Stella opened her mouth to protest but closed it again after taking a short breath, wrinkling her forehead. Her gaze swiped over to Severide, who was sitting opposite of them, and she eyed him for a few seconds, before turning her attention back to her friends.

“Maybe,” she shrugged.

Sylvie was about to answer when she saw Dr. Will Halstead entering the waiting area. She quickly jumped to her feet, walking closer to him, and Severide was by her side in seconds. Chief Boden joined them too, while the rest of the crew remained in their seats.

“Matt’s gonna make a full recovery,” Dr. Halstead started off, and Sylvie let out the breath she was holding. “He’s gonna need a few days of good rest with no strenuous activities to give the mucus in his airways some time to recover, but his lungs weren’t damaged. We did a bronchoscopy to confirm it, and we also drew some blood. His oxygen levels are still a little too low, so he needs to stay overnight.”

“Thanks, Will. Can we see him?” Severide asked right after the doctor finished his update.

“Sure, he’s a bit loopy from the sedative, but two people at the time will be fine,” Will responded, focusing his gaze on her. “He’s been asking for you, Sylvie. You should go first, so our nurses don’t have to wrestle him down to his bed again.”

A blush crept up her neck and to her cheeks, and she crossed her arms in front of her, averting her gaze onto her shoes.

“I’ll go with her,” the squad lieutenant offered, and out of the corner of her eye, she saw him turn to the Chief. “Will you update the others? We’ll be back soon.”

“Of course, give him my best.” His voice stayed neutral, but Sylvie was sure Matt and her friendship was now brought up on his radar.

“Follow me then.” Will nodded his head down the hallway, and Kelly and Sylvie followed him.

* * *

  
  


Even though Sylvie knew Matt was gonna be all right, her breath still caught in her throat as she saw him lying in the crisp white hospital bed, dressed in just a hospital gown. An oxygen tube was attached to his nose, and he still had an IV in his arm. They had also cleaned up his face, and Sylvie could see the redness of his skin around his nose and on some parts of his cheeks. He seemed much more relaxed though, laying still.

“Hey Matt, look who I found waiting for you,” Dr. Halstead called out to him as they approached the bed.

Matt turned his head into their direction, a goofy smile covering his face. “Sylvie, I told them you would take care of me, but they wouldn’t let me leave.”

“As I said. He’s still loopy from the sedative we gave him for the bronchoscopy. It’s gonna wear off soon. You should try getting him to sleep, but somehow I don’t think that’s gonna be a problem,” Will smirked, boxing Sylvie’s arm lightly.

“Shut it, Halstead,” she muttered, throwing him a quick side glance.

“Hey, don’t hit her,” Matt objected from across the room as he moved around the bed, trying to push himself up. He failed miserably, and his movement resulted in some coughing.

“Hey, big guy. He’s only teasing her,” Severide assured him as he walked closer to the bed and pushed his friend back down to rest against the bed. “Nobody’s gonna touch a hair on her head, don’t worry.”

“Severide’s right,” Sylvie promised while crossing the distance to his bed. She lowered herself onto the side of his bed, offering him a soft smile. “Will was just giving me some more instructions for your care.”

Sedation did funny things to people that much Sylvie knew, but with Matt, it seemed to cause confusion and brought out his protective streak. Playing along with his confusion seemed to be the safest option, otherwise she might agitate him even more, and he was already hurting enough. It would certainly lead to some awkward conversations later, but his comfort now was more important.

“That’s my cue to leave. Good luck,” Will said before leaving the room.

“You know me better than him. You’ll take care of me just fine,” Matt slurred. The captain lifted his hand to rest it on her thigh, grabbing her hand. “Can we go home now?”

He was more confused than she had anticipated, and his insinuation made her pulse race. He thought they were living together, a fact she was afraid to give more meaning to. Maybe he was just mixing his old life with Gabby with their current situation. It was the most plausible answer, and she forced herself to not think more about it.

“You have to stay the night, Matt. Your oxygen levels are still too low,” she whispered, intertwining their fingers. “Maybe you’ll be able to go home tomorrow morning.”

“But what about the baby? Where is she? Is she home alone?” He asked confused, his brows furrowing, and concern etched on his face.

Sylvie had to keep her facial expressions in check at his words. That part of her life was something he couldn’t mix with anything from his past, and she swallowed hard at the realization that he was in fact thinking about her.

“Amelia’s at home with Eileen, remember? We were on shift and responded to a fire where you got hurt,” she explained calmly, reaching out to cup his cheek. “You should try to sleep. You need your rest.”

“Are you going back home?” He questioned and his grip on her tightened. “Amelia needs you, but I need you too.” He looked at her with big, open eyes, not blinking once. His heart rate spiked and the monitor next to the bed beat rapidly.

Trailing her thumb over his cheekbone, she whispered softly, “Amelia’s in good hands. I’m staying right here with you. Don’t worry. Close your eyes now, Matt.”

Her words and her touch calmed him down, and he hummed as a content smile formed on his face. He obediently closed his eyes, and she let her hand wander down to his chest, rubbing soothing circles against the thin fabric of his hospital gown.

Within minutes, he relaxed under her touch, his head lulling to the side and his grip on her hand loosening. She observed him carefully until he slipped into a peaceful slumber.

“He flat out ignored my presence,” Severide sounded up next to her in a hushed voice, and she turned her gaze to him.

She had honestly forgotten about him too, too focused on Matt. Color rose to her cheeks upon realizing what he had just witnessed.

“Don’t say a word about this to Kidd or anyone else,” she grumbled under her breath. She needed to dissect the last few minutes on her own first before she was ready to be pestered about it from her friends.

A laugh burst out of the lieutenant’s throat and he pointed to her hand on his chest. “I’ll have enough fun with teasing him about this. Don’t worry.”

“Don’t. He’s gonna be embarrassed enough when he wakes up.” She pulled her hand away from his chest, clasping it around their intertwined hands.

“If you say so,” the other man snorted before nodding towards the door. “I’m gonna go and talk to the others. I assume you’re gonna stay with him?”

“I will. I don’t want him to wake up agitated.” He had been so worried that she’d leave him, and there was no way in hell he would wake up without her by his side. Her face was going to be the first thing he would see after opening his eyes.

“Let me know if you need anything. We’re probably gonna head back to the station now. I’ll let Chief know he needs to get a relief for you for the rest of the shift.”

“Thanks, Kelly. I appreciate it,” she replied, sending him another smile before the man walked to the door and left the room.

After the door closed, Sylvie focused her gaze on Matt’s sleeping form again, her hand going back to rest against his chest. The beating of his heart calmed her racing mind as the day finally caught up with her.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We reached over 300 kudos, guys! This is incredible, and I can't believe this story means so much to all of you! I'm blown away by your weekly response! THANK YOU ❤
> 
> On a sadder note, I'm not sure if I'll be able to post next week. I have some stuff going on in my life that I need to work through (nothing too serious, just a little heartbreak), and I'm not quite sure if I can motivate myself to write during this week. Usually, I'm resilient, and most of the time I do bounce back rather quickly, so who knows? If I really can't post next week, I'll let you know on my Tumblr! 
> 
> Few words about this chapter: This entire plotline about Matt getting hurt was planned as one chapter, but that didn't work so now it will be three chapters. I thought I could tie it up this chapter, but the fluff got away with me (I've written most of it before said incident mentioned above). Anyway, enjoy their sweet bubble! ❤

**May 25th, 2020 ~ Amelia 8 ½ weeks old**

It was early evening when Matt woke up again. He had slept the entire afternoon, missing a quick visit from Gallo and Stella who brought Sylvie and Matt’s bag from the station. Sylvie had felt much more comfortable in her street clothes, chatting with Stella for a few minutes before they left again.

Gallo had been silent the whole time, eyeing Matt carefully and shifting around on his feet. He hadn’t even been sporting his usual big smile, and when they had left, he had only nodded at her briefly. Stella had noticed it too, giving her a reassuring look that told her she’d take care of it. It was all Sylvie needed to know.

She was sitting on a chair beside Matt’s hospital bed, when he stirred in his sleep, groaning softly. Standing up, she positioned herself back on the side of his bed, her hand going back to rub his chest. He blinked a few times, looking disoriented.

“Hey, sleepyhead,” she greeted him with a soft voice and a smile on her face. “Are you feeling a little more like yourself now?”

He focused his gaze on her, wrinkling his brows as he opened his mouth to speak, but instead of words, he started to cough heavily. When he didn’t stop again after a few coughs, she grabbed his shoulders, pulling him upward.

“Come on, you got to sit up and lean forward. You’re probably coughing up the excessive mucus from your airways,” she explained as he pushed himself into a sitting position. One of his arms reached around her, holding onto her waist for support while his other hand was pressed to his chest. Her own arm went around his middle, coming to rest on his waist to hold him up.

He was leaning with one shoulder against hers, so she couldn’t see his face and he didn’t directly cough at her. The coughing continued and Sylvie pressed the nurse button at the side of his bed before laying her hand on his back and rubbing circles against his skin. His very naked skin.

Seconds later, the door opened, and a young woman entered. Sylvie hadn’t seen her before, but she barely knew all the nurses at Med. Just the ones at the emergency department and the NICU.

“Captain Casey, good to see you awake,” she addressed him as she rushed towards them and placed a spit bowl in front of his face. “I’m Nurse Lisa, and I’ll be here the whole night. It’s best if you spit out the excessive mucus from your airways and lungs. I know this coughing is not the most comfortable thing, but it’s the natural way of keeping your lungs free of any particles.”

After a few more coughs, Sylvie heard Matt spit into the bowl, and she kept her gaze straight ahead. He was uncomfortable enough, and he didn’t need her to watch him closely while spitting into a bowl. Instead, she concentrated on rubbing her hand up his back, her fingers gently massaging his stiff neck muscles and stroking through his soft hair.

The coughing didn’t seem to stop after he spit out some mucus and continued for several more minutes. At some point, Will walked into the room, coming to stand beside Nurse Lisa.

“How about those pain meds now, Matt? The coughing is going to continue throughout the night, and you’d feel a little more comfortable and sleep better,” Dr. Halstead suggested as he reached around Nurse Lisa and grabbed an inhaler from the nightstand. “If you can hold up on coughing for a few seconds, you can take two breaths from this inhaler. It’s gonna open up your airway and help you breathe easier. It’s not gonna help with the pain but it’s a start.”

It took five more minutes for Matt to stop coughing completely and catch his breath again. Exhausted, he sagged against her shoulder, his grip around her waist tightening.

“What the hell am I wearing?” He exclaimed with a wheezy voice.

A laugh burst out of Sylvie, and relief flooded her at his humor. She let her head fall to his shoulder, pressing her lips against the bare skin at the junction of his neck and shoulder. Matt rested his head against hers, taking a few more deep breaths.

“It’s a standard hospital gown, my friend. I know it’s pretty lame compared to your uniform, but it’s hospital policy to be dressed in one when a procedure is performed,” Will explained chuckling.

“I’d feel a lot better, if I could wear my own clothes,” Matt muttered, shifting against Sylvie. His hand rubbed over her back a few times before squeezing her body tightly to his for a few seconds when she made no move to separate from him. His embrace was comforting, and she just needed a few more seconds to assure herself that he was indeed OK.

“You can change into your own clothes if you like. Nurse Lisa or Sylvie can help you,” Will assured him, and Sylvie took it as her cue to reluctantly separate herself from him, helping him to lay back down against the bed.

The upper part of his bed was elevated, and once he was situated in a comfortable position, Sylvie tugged his gown that had fallen off one of his shoulders, up again.

His gaze briefly landed on her but wandered to Will after a soft smile. “I think I’ll be able to dress myself, Will. Don’t worry.” He raised his hand to rub over his chest.

“Well, all right. How about you think about those pain meds, and I’ll be back later?” Will proposed as he grabbed Matt’s chart and scribbled something down before hanging it back against his bed. “If you need anything else, just press the button.”

Matt stayed quiet, just shaking his head. Sometimes Sylvie was sure men in general were too stubborn for their own good. Matt was clearly in pain, and instead of letting someone help him, he refused.

“He will take the pain meds for the night,” Sylvie announced firmly, not leaving any more room for discussion. Matt still scoffed at her, which resulted in him coughing again. “I’m not arguing with you. Save your breath. You’ll just start coughing.”

The captain pressed his lips into a thin line, and Sylvie turned her gaze back to Will, who smirked at her. He was having way too much fun with this situation, so she threw him a pointed look too, making the grin disappear from his face.

“We’ll be back later then,” the doctor acknowledged, walking towards the door.

Nurse Lisa gave her a friendly smile as she checked the bag of fluids hanging on the IV pole. “Should I bring a cot for you, Mrs. Casey?” Nurse Lisa asked, and it was Sylvie’s turn to cough violently.

Of course, Will hadn’t left the room just yet and laughed loudly. “She’s not Mrs. Casey, Lisa.” He shook his head in amusement before sending her a quick wink. “At least not yet.” With that, he disappeared out of the door, and an awkward tension filled the room.

The young nurse blushed, her eyes widening. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t know. I should have checked the chart better,” she scrambled for words, her hand going over her mouth.

“Don’t worry about it,” Matt waved her off while resting his hand on Sylvie’s thigh. “It was a thoughtful suggestion, but Sylvie’s gonna go home tonight.”

Nurse Lisa just nodded and then quickly turned and left the room, quietly closing the door behind her.

“You sure you want me to leave?” Sylvie asked, thankful that they brushed over the marriage part rather quickly.

“I won’t let you sleep in a chair or in one of those cots they’d give you here when you have a perfectly nice bed at home,” Matt started, rubbing his hand over her thigh. “Selfishly, I’d like you to stay, but you don’t need to watch me sleep.”

“You know I wouldn’t mind,” Sylvie assured him as she grabbed onto his arm, letting her hand trail down his forearm until their palms met. She watched as he engulfed her hand with his, his thumb brushing over the back of her hand.

“I do know, but you’re still going home,” he countered as he tugged on her hand. “In an hour or two.”

She met his eyes, losing herself in his blue ones. The urge to crawl into his bed and cuddle up to him was overwhelming, and when he tugged on her hand again, she couldn’t resist any longer.

Within seconds, she rid herself of her shoes and shifted her legs up onto the bed. Matt scooted to the side to make space for her, opening his arms towards her with a soft smile on his face. Wrapping her right arm around his shoulder, she let herself fall against his chest, nuzzling her head into the crook of his neck. Her legs were pulled up to her body and fell against Matt’s stomach, and in return, he wrapped his arm around her back, his hand coming to rest on her waist, holding her close to him. His other arm reached out to brush through her hair and he pressed a kiss to her head.

“I’ll be fine,” he whispered, and she closed her eyes at his words, her hand coming to lie on his chest. His heartbeat lulled her into a sense of safety and for the first time that day, she felt like she could finally breathe again.

* * *

  
  


**May 26th, 2020 ~ Amelia 8 ½ weeks old**

At 8:30 am sharp, Matt sat on his bed at Med dressed and ready to go. One night at the hospital had been enough. Thanks to the painkillers, he had slept through most of the night, but ever since he woke up early this morning, he itched to leave this place.

Waking up was still painful and involved a lot of coughing and spitting up mucus. It was disgusting, and he had never experienced it to that extent before. Sure, he had his share of terrible colds in his life, and he had also dealt with minor smoke inhalation before, but he had never had such a severe case.

Will had assured him it would just last for another day or two max, after that the coughing should slowly subside. Matt hoped he was right as the coughing was hurting more than anything.

His lungs were burning with every breath he took and whenever he needed to cough, he felt like someone was ripping his trachea out of his body. It was pretty shitty.

Loud wailing from outside his room made him turn his head towards the door, and just a few seconds later, someone knocked and pushed the door open.

Sylvie’s head peaked into the room, a stressed smile on her face. “I know we’re late, but cranky pants here is having a terrible morning,” she apologized as she walked into the room.

She had Amelia strapped to her chest, and the baby was letting out angry cries. Her tiny hands were balled into fists and flailed in front of Sylvie’s chest. The paramedic was patting her bottom, bouncing in step with each pat. She looked beautiful in her dark jeans and red tank top, radiating with happiness even though she was stressed.

Matt was pulled to her like a magnet, and he pushed himself off the bed, but before he could fully stand, she rushed over to him, preventing him from getting up. With a smile on her face, she cupped his cheek and leaned down to press a kiss to the other one. “How are you feeling today?”

His skin tingled from the quick touch of her lips, and a silly grin formed on his face. If this was her new way of greeting him from now on, he’d count it as a big win.

“Good morning,” he greeted her, and his hand reached out to rub the baby’s back, his fingers brushing over hers. “I’ve been better, but it’s fine. Why is she Miss Cranky Pants?”

Instead of pulling her hand away, Sylvie left her hand under his on the baby, only stopping her patting. “Ugh, she woke up at 5:30 this morning and decided it was party time. And then an hour or so later, she decided to sleep again, not waking up until it was time to go. Then she fell asleep again in the car and woke up when I took her out of the car seat. Now she’s probably just mad and maybe also hungry. I tried feeding her before we left, but she was screaming too much,” Sylvie blurted out, pausing to take a breath before looking down to Amelia. “You’re keeping Mommy on her toes today, sweets.”

Amelia didn’t react to Sylvie’s words and continued to scream bloody murderer. The young woman pressed a kiss to her head, pulling her hand out from under his hand and stroking it through the baby’s short hair.

“Well, I’m waiting for Will for my final checkup, so how about we feed her now?” Matt suggested and his hand itched upwards towards one of the clasps of the carrier.

“Matt Casey, you just can’t keep your hands off my baby,” Sylvie accused him in a mocking tone, but at the same time she reached up to unfasten the strap of the carrier.

“Guilty,” he confessed with a smile on his face, and the muscles in his cheek honestly started to feel a little strained after so much smiling.

Sylvie worked quickly on getting the screaming baby out of the carrier before plucking her into Matt’s awaiting arms. “Have fun,” she muttered with a shake of her head, but amusement was etched on her face.

“Hi, love bug,” Matt addressed the baby as he held her out in front of him, kissing both of her cheeks. “You’re screaming down the entire hospital wing. And all because Mommy woke you up from your nap? You’re quite the drama queen, Missy.” He shifted her around to cradle her against his chest, hushing her softly with his head hung low.

“You’re making me sound like the guilty party here,” Sylvie grumbled from beside him.

He smiled to himself at her comment, his focus not shifting away from the baby. He gently pried open one of her hands, letting her wrap her fingers around one of his. Her grip was stronger than he remembered, and he softly touched his lips to her hand while his other fingers rubbed over the baby’s chest. “You’ve got to control your breathing, Ams. I promise it’s gonna make you feel a lot better.”

“Look at you lecturing her about breathing,” Sylvie mused as she sat down next to him, her side pressed against his. She held out a bottle in front of him. “Give it a shot. She’s usually not the most cooperative when she’s screaming like this.”

It sounded like a challenge, and he loved a good challenge, so he grabbed the bottle from her with a determined look. It did take him a couple of tries and he had a few failed attempts where some formula got spilled on Amelia’s clothes and then his shirt, but after five minutes he managed to calm her down enough to take the bottle.

A lonely tear rolled down the baby’s cheek, and Sylvie leaned into him to wipe it away. “That’s better, lovey. Mommy’s sorry for waking you up so roughly.” She pressed a kiss to her head and let her fingers play with the soft hair on Amelia’s head. Her arm was resting against his and her sweet perfume clouded his senses.

This moment was so perfect, Matt wished he could pause it. With Amelia lying in his arms, and Sylvie leaning against him, he found himself wishing for nothing more. It was moments like these when he forgot that Amelia wasn’t his daughter, but it also gave him enough hope that she could be in the future. He loved her so dearly and just as much as he loved her fierce mother.

Over the last few months, his attraction for Sylvie had morphed into a crush, but during the last few weeks, he realized how deeply in love he really was with the paramedic. He longed to see her every day, hoping to be close to her to still his desire to feel her touch.

Yesterday, when she had cuddled up in his arms, seeking his assurance and proximity, his heart had soared, and he had dozed off to sleep within minutes of holding her in his arms. Later, she had woken him up, and Nurse Lisa had given him his pain medication. Even then, she had stayed for a few more minutes until he had fallen asleep again, slowly rubbing his chest, and he had never felt more blessed to have her in his life.

Her presence soothed away his pain, and he closed his eyes to cherish this moment just a little while longer. He was completely lost in the moment that he didn’t even hear Will entering his room until the doctor cleared his throat loudly. When Matt looked up, he saw him standing in front of them.

“I heard you had a little heartbreaker now, Sylvie. A birdie told me she has the whole firehouse wrapped around her finger already,” Will smirked, crossing his arms in front of him. “I’m here for your last checkup, Matt, but I can come back later, if you need some more time.”

“No, it’s fine. I’ll take her,” Sylvie smiled at him, and expertly slid her arm under his that was holding Amelia. “And she’s not a heartbreaker, Will. She just has Matt wrapped around her tiny fingers.”

“I can see that,” Will chuckled as Amelia let out an unhappy cry when Matt positioned her into Sylvie’s arms.

Matt wanted to respond to Will’s comment, but he wasn’t able to shift his focus away from the baby. Her soft cries pulled at his heart, and he reached out to scratch her belly.

“I got her, Matt. You concentrate on getting through your exam.” Sylvie stood up from the bed, and his hand slipped away from the baby as she walked off to sit in the chair by the window.

Of course, he knew Sylvie was more than competent to take care of the crying baby, but he still itched to soothe her.

“All right, Matt. Take off your shirt so I can check your lungs,” Will announced as he positioned himself in his line of view towards Sylvie and Amelia.

Reluctantly, Matt puffed out some air and shifted his attention onto his doctor. Grabbing the hem of his shirt, he pulled it over his head, trying to concentrate on the fact that this exam was the only thing preventing him from leaving.

* * *

  
  


“Are you sure I’m not bothering you?” Matt asked the blonde paramedic for the third time in the last half an hour. “I’ll be fine at home with Severide and Kidd.”

Contrary to his belief, Sylvie hadn’t just picked him up and dropped him off at home, no, she had fetched him from the hospital and taken him to her place where he was going to stay for a few days. The idea of staying with Sylvie sounded fantastic, but on the other hand, he didn’t want to burden her with taking care of him.

“If you ask me this question one more time, I’ll consider throwing you out,” Sylvie huffed as she leveled him with a pointed look, before she lowered Amelia onto her bed. “Watch her for a second.” She gestured to the baby, and he moved over to the bed, sitting down on the edge.

Sylvie disappeared from her bedroom, and Matt thought about just laying down next to the baby but restrained himself. Of course, he had fantasized about laying in bed with Sylvie, with and without Amelia. He had done so more times than he was comfortable admitting, but to some extent, it still felt inappropriate. They weren’t together just yet, and this was Sylvie’s personal space. He preferred to be invited into a women’s bed instead of just assuming and laying down, no matter how weird that sounded.

Amelia gurgled next to him, and he reached out and softly tickled her foot. The baby kicked her legs, her foot hitting his hand repeatedly.

“You seem happier now, love bug. Are you feeling better with some food in your belly?” He asked her, and his hand moved up her legs to scratch her belly. “How about you make the rest of the day easy for Mommy, huh? She thinks she needs to take care of me too, but hanging out with you two is the only thing I need to feel better.”

The baby smiled at him, fixing her gaze on him, and he leaned down to press a kiss to her cheek. “I’ll take that as a yes, little lady.”

“Don’t let her make promises she can’t keep,” Sylvie’s voice sounded through the room, and Matt sat up straight again, turning into her direction. She was standing in the door, leaning against the doorframe.

Matt chuckled. “She’s gonna be an angel for the rest of the day. You’ll see. Right, Ams?” He turned to the baby and tickled her belly again, earning another smile from her. “See, she’s agreeing with me.”

Sylvie laughed at him as she walked towards them. “I put clean towels and your bag in the bathroom. I thought you might wanna shower before lounging on the couch for the rest of the day.” She stopped at the foot of the bed, just a few feet away from him.

“Is that your way of telling me I stink? I didn’t hear you complain yesterday,” he teased her as he stood up and put his hands to his hips.

She pursed her lips, but he could see amusement dance over her face. “Maybe I was just too nice to point out your body odors.”

“Or I’m just too good of a cuddler and made you forget about it.” It was a bold statement, and he almost regretted saying it.

“Maybe you are,” she mused as she tilted her head to the side and looked up to him through her long, dark lashes. “I might have to test that theory some more though before I agree to this statement.”

He could barely stop his mouth from falling open at her comment, quickly concealing it with a deep breath. Was she openly flirting with him or was he dreaming? This seemed too good to be true as it was everything he had ever wanted.

“How about you take that shower now, and Amelia and I will wait on the couch for you? I’ve got strict orders from Will to make you rest as much as possible, so you will get the prime spot on the couch,” Sylvie promised him before patting his chest affectionately.

Unable to form words, he nodded his head in agreement. All of a sudden, he felt like a little schoolboy who just found out his crush might actually like him back. It was ridiculous, but the thought paralyzed him like nothing else before. His muscle memory kicked in though, and he found himself leaving the bedroom and walking towards the bathroom.

He opted to take a cold shower, but his lungs were still burning, and the cold water wouldn’t help the burn at all, so he turned the temperature lukewarm instead. The shower gave him just enough time to wrap his brain around their moment a few minutes ago, and when he walked out of the bathroom and into the living room, he felt a little more settled and less nervous about the idea that they could actually be something.

Adding to that, he did feel better after the shower. He felt clean, and the fresh pair of clothes Severide must have brought over earlier were a nice change. His friend had actually packed him quite a few clothes, and he had briefly wondered how long the squad lieutenant thought he was going to stay with Sylvie. She had shift in two days, and by then he imagined he’d be back at his place.

The sun was shining through the huge window at the other side of the room, and Matt was glad Severide had packed him shorts instead of his usual sweatpants. The temperature in the living room was comfortable in his short clothes, and he let his gaze swipe through the room.

Sylvie was sitting in front of the couch with her back resting against it. Amelia was lying on the playmat beside her, wide awake. The paramedic was holding a pink stuffed bunny over the baby, and the little girl was reaching her hands out towards it, trying to grab it. She was gurgling happily, and Sylvie was cooing at her, a big smile covering her face.

“Hey, Captain! Good to see you’re feeling better. You gave us a little scare there,” Foster called out to him, and pulled his focus away from his two favorite people.

He turned his head towards her voice, finding her standing in the small kitchen area, dressed in her gym clothes. She was drinking a smoothie, grinning at him.

He gave her a quick nod. “I’m fine, Foster. I’ve had worse.”

The young woman smirked at him, shaking her head softly before she headed towards the door and grabbed her gym bag. “I’ll be back later. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.” With that, she was out of the door, and Matt turned his attention back to Sylvie, who was leveling him with a pointed look.

“What?” He asked as he crossed the distance between them and stopped in front of the couch.

“Don’t downplay your injury. You might have gotten lucky, but I can tell from the look on your face you’re hurting,” she scolded him, gesturing to the couch behind her. “You should lie down and rest a little.”

She was right. He was exhausted, and it annoyed him. It was barely 11 am, and he felt like he had not slept at all during the night, which was far from true. He’d rather spent time with Sylvie and Amelia, but his body was betraying him.

Begrudgingly, he sat down on the couch next to where Sylvie was sitting on the floor, and slowly lowered himself into a lying position, coming to rest on his side. His body ached, and he had to take a few steadying breaths before he was able to focus on Sylvie and Amelia in front of him. He reached his hand down towards the baby, stroking through her soft blonde hair a few times.

The woman in front of him turned her body into his direction, resting her arm on the couch in front of his chest. Her fingers crawled up his arm, skimming his cheek until they tangled in his hair. As she carded her fingers through the short strands, scratching his scalp every so often, he relaxed under her touch, his eyes falling shut.

“I might be a little tired,” he confessed, blinking his eyes open to look at her.

She smiled at him, scratching over his scalp again, and he groaned softly, his eyes closing once more.

“Sleep, Matt. I’ll be right here,” she promised, and her melodic voice lulled him to sleep, her smiling face being the last thing he saw before succumbing to sleep.


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I did manage to write another chapter (though, I did it in the last two days, to be honest). I also realized Sylvie and I might think more alike than I thought, or maybe I'm projecting my own feelings onto her, which could also be true. Anyway, I'm still super conflicted about stuff, but I hope I'll be motivated to write this week. 
> 
> This chapter wraps up the Matt getting hurt storyline and we'll move on (or back) to other things ;)  
> Let me know what you think! :)

**May 26th, 2020 ~ Amelia 8 ½ weeks old**

In the early afternoon, Matt found himself sitting in Sylvie’s spot in front of the couch, his back resting against the piece of furniture. He had slept for almost three hours before Amelia’s cries woke him up. Of course, it had resulted in some major coughing and he had dragged himself to the bathroom to get rid of the mucus in his mouth.

Sylvie had found him just a few minutes later, making sure that he was doing fine, and after he had stopped coughing and washed his mouth, he had briefly caressed her cheek and kissed away the crease on her forehead. The paramedic had relaxed under his touch, and they had gone back to fetch Amelia who had safely laid in her crib.

The baby was now laying next to him on her playmat, her legs kicking up into the air. She was gurgling happily, batting at the mobile that was hanging over her. From time to time, he would reach out to her and scratch her belly or rub one of her feet, but mostly he was happy just watching her play. It was calming, and it made him forget about any pain he was having.

At first, Sylvie had whirled around the apartment, cleaning up and doing laundry, but now she was sitting cross-legged on the couch behind him, reading a book. She had changed her clothes too, wearing a tight pair of yoga pants that had him swallowing hard when he first saw her earlier. Her fitting top didn’t help the matter, and he had to restrain himself to keep his hands to himself.

Especially when he glanced over his shoulder to sneak a peek at her, and she caught him, sending him a wink and a smile before ruffling his hair affectionately. It took everything in him to not turn fully to her, rip her book out of her hands, and pin her against the couch to kiss her senseless. It was an inappropriate thought for more than one reason. Firstly, Amelia was present, and his actions would definitely not stay PG-13, and second, Sylvie Brett deserved the world and more. Their first kiss was going to be special, and going to happen in the exact right moment, when they were both completely ready and sure.

The ringing of the doorbell interrupted his thoughts, and he looked back to Sylvie who had closed her book.

“Are you expecting someone?” He asked curiously, raising his eyebrows. He had really hoped to spend the afternoon alone with Sylvie and Amelia.

“Not really. Emily’s gone out again too, so maybe it’s just one of our neighbors,” she shrugged as she stood up and crossed the room to the door.

Matt turned on his spot on the ground and curiously glanced around the couch, just in time for Sylvie to open the door.

“Blake,” Sylvie blurted out and Matt leaned his arm over Amelia to support his weight and not fall onto the baby. What was his candidate doing here?

“Sylvie, hi,” the young man answered, and Matt could hear the insecurity in his voice. “Uhm, I heard Casey’s staying here, and I just wanted to, uhm, check on how he’s doing. I hope I’m not intruding.”

“Of course not, come inside. Matt’s gonna be happy to see you. He’s playing with Amelia,” the blonde’s voice chorused through the apartment as she closed the door. “Would you like something to drink? I can get you some water.”

“Water would be nice, thank you.”

“Why don’t you go over to Matt, and I’ll be with you in just a second,” she urged him in a soft voice that she usually only reserved for Amelia or other children.

Matt leaned back in his spot, resting his back against the couch again to not appear too curious. He kept his eyes straight on Amelia, playing with her foot.

A few seconds later, Gallo appeared in front of him, his hands stuffed into his pockets, and Matt mustered him for a second. He looked conflicted as he shifted from one foot to the other.

“Captain.”

“Gallo, what can I do for you?” He questioned him in a neutral voice. “Take a seat, please.” He pointed to the couch beside him as he pushed himself up onto the piece of furniture too. His lungs burned at the small strain, and he coughed a few times.

“I just wanted to check in with you, and see how you’re doing after that fire yesterday,” he answered slowly before walking around the coffee table and taking a seat on the couch.

“I’ll be fine. I’m gonna be off for a few shifts, but I’ve had worse,” he assured the younger man. Leaning down, he pulled Amelia and her playmat closer to him so she was laying in his line of sight, right by his feet.

“He’s going to need some rest, and someone should whack him on the head for being so reckless, but in a few days, he will be fine,” Sylvie corrected him as she placed a glass of water on the coffee table in front of them. “I’m gonna go and take care of the last load of laundry. You’re good with this sweet little munchkin here?” She leaned down to ruffle the baby’s hair, throwing her a kiss.

“I got her, don’t worry,” Matt replied with a smile.

Sylvie cooed at the baby for a minute longer, before getting up and walking away from them. Matt watched her disappear into her bedroom, waiting until she closed the door behind her to turn his attention back to his candidate.

“Brett is right. It was reckless to take my mask off, and it’s not something I want to see you doing,” Matt grabbed the opportunity to lecture the young man. “I’m not talking about taking it off to talk to someone or to give them a couple of breaths of fresh oxygen, but anything that’s longer than a minute is out of question. If we don’t take care of ourselves, we’re no good to help others in need.”

“I would have done the same thing,” Gallo confessed, rubbing his hands together. “I know it’s against protocol, but if it would have saved his life, I would have not hesitated.”

“This is exactly why I’m telling you this,” Matt stressed, throwing his arm over the back of the couch. “My actions didn’t save that little boy. Our job is to locate the victims and get them out as fast as possible so the paramedics can do their job.”

The younger man stayed quiet, nodding his head as he stared down at Amelia. Sometimes Gallo reminded him of a younger version of himself. The dark-haired man was just as emotionally driven as himself, and they seemed to share their love for kids.

“We did everything we could, Gallo, but sometimes it’s out of our hands,” Matt added while he followed his gaze to the baby. “I’m not telling you to forget about this loss, but you have to find a way for yourself to deal with it. Don’t let it eat you up.”

“How do you deal with it?” The firefighter sounded up, and Matt lifted his eyes to him.

“I’m not much of a talker,” he shrugged before nodding his chin towards Amelia. “But seeing her smile at me like I hung the moon makes life just a little easier.”

A quiet chuckle left the candidate’s throat. “She’s gotten bigger.”

“Tell me about it. She used to be so tiny, and now I’m afraid she’s gonna start running away from me any second,” Matt noted dryly, reaching down to scratch the baby’s belly. “You wanna hold her?”

Gallo’s head shot up, and a smile spread across his face. “That’d be awesome!”

Mat huffed softly at his candidate’s enthusiasm before he reached down and picked Amelia up. He was able to suppress the cough that threatened to leave his throat as he held the baby up in front of him and pressed a kiss to each of her cheeks.

“Be mindful of her head. She’s better at supporting it herself, but she still needs help, and don’t be offended if she throws a fit in a couple of minutes. She’s gonna get hungry soon,” Matt instructed him before placing the baby in Gallo’s awaiting arms.

The young man grabbed her carefully, cradling her against his chest with one arm as he sat back on the couch. For a few minutes, Matt watched as Gallo stroked over Amelia’s tiny hand until the baby grabbed onto it. The little girl was staring up to the unfamiliar face, her eyes wide and curious. The firefighter talked to her in a hushed voice, his beaming smile never leaving his face.

“I’m just gonna use the bathroom. Holler if you need anything,” Matt told him once he was sure Amelia and Gallo were both doing OK.

His candidate seemed confident around the baby and handing her over to him this time hadn’t been too hard. He had formed a special bond with Amelia over the last few weeks, and he knew that nobody would be able to take his place in her life.

Adding to that, Matt hoped that some baby cuddles would lift Gallo’s mood just as it did his. And judging from the smile on his candidate's face as Amelia smiled up at him, the baby was doing a pretty good job.

  
  


* * *

  
  
  


Sylvie hummed lowly as she pulled her sleep t-shirt over her head. Sticking her arms through the sleeves, she smoothed it down her front, biting her lip. It barely covered her bum, so she grabbed a pair of shorts out of her drawer. Quickly slipping into them, she stepped back and mustered herself in the mirror. She was still showing a fair amount of skin, but that had to do.

A knock on the door made her turn her head into the direction of the sound. Taking a deep breath, she called out, “Come in.”

The door creaked open, and Matt hesitantly peaked his head through it. “I’m just looking for my bag, then I’ll be out of your hair.”

Confused, she tilted her head to the side. “Where do you think you’re sleeping?”

“Uhm, on the couch?” He asked with raised eyebrows.

“Yeah, I don’t think so, Matt,” Sylvie chastised him, shaking her pointer in front of her. “You’ll be taking the bed. You’re hurt, and if I’ll let you take the couch, you’re back is going to kill you in the morning.”

Matt pressed his lips into a tight line and pushed the rest of his body through the door, crossing his arms in front of his chest. “And where will you sleep?”

Taking a deep breath, Sylvie pursed her lips. “Well, you have two options. I will either take the couch or we’ll share the bed. I’d prefer the latter, so I can keep an eye on you, but I’ll be fine with the couch too. You’re choice.”

Matt stared at her with an open mouth for a few beats until he abruptly closed it and drew in a breath, slowly releasing it. “I… I don’t mind sharing the bed, if it’s OK with you.”

The paramedic let out a huge breath, a smile covering her face. “Good, it’s pretty late. I should really sleep now before Amelia’s gonna wake up again. I hope you’re OK with the right side of the bed.”

Without waiting for his answer, she turned around and walked to the bed, getting in and quickly burrowing into her pillow. The situation was awkward, but she hoped that if she would just ignore the tension in the room, it would get easier.

She listened closely for Matt’s footsteps, and just a few seconds later, she felt the bed dip beside her. Her heart began to beat faster knowing that he was so close to her. It felt intimate, which didn’t help her blossoming feelings for the handsome man at all. A whirlwind of emotions flooded her head, and she closed her eyes, willing down the storm. Matt was her best friend, and she was supposed to take care of him regardless of her conflicted feelings for him.

Opening her eyes again, she turned around on the bed, finding Matt laying on his side, facing her. He was still wearing his shirt, and she silently thanked every angel in heaven for that. Shirtless Matt was something she couldn’t deal with in her bed.

“Did you take some pain meds?” She asked him in a gentle voice.

“No, they make me feel woozy,” he responded, sighing softly.

“But they would help you sleep through the night,” she countered as she reached out to lay her hand on his chest. She chastised herself silently for being weak and giving in to her desire to touch him, especially because it meant more conflicted emotions for her.

He immediately covered her hand with his, holding it in a tight grasp and closing his eyes. “I’ll be fine.”

Sylvie knew she had lost both battles she was fighting. Matt wouldn’t take the pain meds, and her head had surrendered to her heart once again.

Resigned, she closed her own eyes, relishing the feeling of Matt’s thumb brushing over her hand that ultimately lulled her to sleep.

* * *

  
  


A soft whimpering made Sylvie wake up, and she opened her eyes to look at the baby monitor on her nightstand, but it wasn’t blinking. Confused, she turned on her night lamp, the low light illuminating the room, when the whimpering started again.

Shifting around in her spot, Sylvie turned towards Matt who was laying closely behind her, breathing heavily. Reaching out, she smoothed her hand through his hair, her hand carding through his damp hair. She watched his face closely as it scrunched up in pain, and he drew in a wheezy breath.

It didn’t take a genius to know that he was having a nightmare, and Sylvie’s heart broke for him. She pushed herself closer, leaning up onto her arm to tower over him. The hand from the arm she was supporting her weight rubbed over his upper arm, while her other hand stroked over his cheek.

“You’re OK,” she whispered softly, watching the crease on his forehead getting bigger. “It’s just a dream.”

He whimpered again, and his eyes pressed shut, a tear rolling down his cheek.

“Matt, hey, wake up,” she urged him gently as she wiped away the stray tear. There was no way in easing him through this anymore. He needed to wake up to snap out of it. She gripped his upper arm tighter and gave him a tentative nudge before shaking him softly. “Come on, sleepyhead. Time to snap out of it.”

One pat to his cheek was enough to wake him from his nightmare, and his eyes flew open, eyeing her in terror. He drew in a couple of more deep breaths, and his hand flew to her cheek, cupping it as his eyes scanned over her. His other arm wound around her waist, pulling her closer to him.

“I’m here,” she promised, and her hand slipped down his cheek to his chest, resting over his heart. “It was just a bad dream.”

His gaze was clouded, but he nodded his head softly, and Sylvie could see him coming back to reality. Just a beat later, he started to cough violently, turning away from her.

Her paramedic mode kicked in instantly, and she pushed him to sit up on the side of her bed, sitting behind him and rubbing his back. When the coughing didn’t stop after a few minutes, she helped him to the bathroom where he spit into the sink a few times, before the coughing finally stopped.

Seeing him leaning over the sink with his hands resting on the counter to hold himself up, pulled at Sylvie’s heart. She stood behind him, still rubbing his back until he washed his mouth and turned back around to her, leaning against the counter.

One look into his eyes was enough for her to step into his arms, wrapping herself tightly around him. He sacked into her embrace and burrowed his head into the crook of her neck, pulling her tightly against his body. His warm breath fanned over her neck, sending shivers down her spine, which only prompted her to hold him tighter.

She had never seen him this vulnerable before with anyone, and the fact that he was leaning on her in this moment made her rethink her hesitations for letting herself fall for him completely. Maybe he did genuinely care for her as more than just his friend, something she hadn’t allowed herself to imagine too often.

The thought stayed on her mind when she pulled him back to her bedroom, crawling into bed with him where they tangled up together once more. He fell asleep with his head hidden against her neck, and her hand scratching his scalp. Maybe he was the one person she had waited for her entire life, the one man who would love her unconditionally. It was a dangerous thought, but lying in bed with him wrapped so tightly around her, she couldn’t help but hope for it to be true.

* * *

  
  


When Matt woke up the next time, he was alone in bed. The sun was peaking through the blinds, and his arms were empty. He remembered the night vividly, from his nightmare of pulling Sylvie and Amelia out of the burning building to wrapping himself around the blonde paramedic in the bathroom.

Normally, he’d feel ashamed of showing his weakness, but with Sylvie it was different. It was as easy as breathing, and he longed to share his hardships with her. The way she had so effortlessly comforted him yesterday was blowing his mind, and it made him fall just a little deeper in love with her.

Groaning, he pushed himself into a sitting position, coughing a few times before he was able to stop to his surprise. His lungs were still hurting with every breath he took, but it wasn’t as bad anymore. Getting up, he made his way out of the bedroom and into the living area, but Sylvie was nowhere in sight. The door to Amelia’s room was left ajar, and he slowly walked over, pushing it open, but stopping in the doorframe.

Sylvie was sitting in the rocking chair with a blanket wrapped tightly around her upper body, Amelia’s head peeking out right under her chin. She was humming softly, rocking the chair slowly with her feet that were planted on the ground. Only her naked lower legs were sticking out of the blanket, her feet covered in fuzzy socks.

“You can come in,” she called out to him, sending him a soft smile. Her voice was low, and he saw her shift around in the chair. “She’s sleeping though, so you’ve got to be quiet.”

Hesitantly, he pushed himself into the room and crossed the distance between the two of them. Crouching down next to the rocking chair, he reached out to stroke his hand over Amelia’s head.

“How are you feeling?” Sylvie asked as she leaned her head against the back of the chair.

“Better,” he answered, gazing up to her. “I slept like a baby for the rest of the night. I didn’t even hear you get up.”

She smiled softly at him. “I’m glad to hear that.”

“Thank you for last night,” he mumbled, letting his hand rest on Amelia’s back where he was sure Sylvie’s hand was resting under the blanket too. “Knowing that you’re there for me when I’m at my lowest means a lot.”

“Matt, you don’t have to thank me. I’ll always be there when you need someone to lean on. Besides, you’ve repeatedly done the same thing for me,” she assured him, lifting her hand out from under the blanket and laying it on his cheek. “You can always talk to me, you know that, right?”

Nodding his head against her palm, he covered it with his own and moved it to press a kiss to the inside of her hand. For a second, he thought about leaning in and finally giving in to the temptation to kiss her, but then Amelia stirred in Sylvie’s arms, and she pulled her hand back.

“Hi, sweets,” she addressed the baby and pressed a kiss to her head. “Are we done with morning cuddles?” She shifted around in the chair and positioned Amelia higher on her shoulder so Matt could see her face.

The baby blinked at him, scrunching up her nose and yawning.

“Hi, love bug,” he greeted her in a low voice before leaning over and pressing a kiss to her nose. “Are you still tired?” As he pulled back, he caught a glimpse of Sylvie’s cream-colored, naked skin, and he quickly averted his gaze to the ground.

“Uhm, Sylvie, you’re not wearing anything,” he stammered, keeping his eyes firmly on the ground. The blanket must have slipped off her shoulder when she moved the baby, giving him a generous peak of her bare torso. He’d be lying if he said he hadn’t seen a little more than just her shoulder, but he tried to ban that image out of his head. 

The paramedic gasped and scrambled to readjust the blanket, pulling it tightly around her and Amelia. “Uhm, yeah, I do skin-to-skin with Amelia in the mornings because I don’t breastfeed her and well…” She paused, swallowing hard. “Usually we just snuggle in bed together, but you were there, so it was kind of out of question. Uhm, I really didn’t mean to flash you.”

He slowly raised his eyes up to her again, clearing his throat. “It’s fine. I barely saw anything.”

Her cheeks turned a darker shade of red as she caught his lie. Awkward tension filled the room, and he pushed himself up to his feet. “Maybe I should go and let you do your thing with the baby, and I’ll make us some breakfast?”

Sylvie forcefully nodded her head, staring straight ahead. “That sounds like a good idea. I’ll be out in a few minutes.”

He hovered for a minute longer, debating whether he should try to lighten the mood somehow, but he didn’t come up with anything remotely appropriate. Instead, he pressed a kiss to her head to at least show her that they were alright. She relaxed into the chair again under his touch, and it was enough for him to know that they hadn’t made things awkward between them.

As he left the room, an image of Sylvie sitting naked on top of him with her hands resting against his chest, and her hips moving together with his, flashed through his mind and heat rose to his cheek. That would certainly be hard to ban out of his mind again, and he securely locked Amelia’s door behind him to not accidentally catch another glimpse of the beautiful, blonde woman.


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys,   
> I'm finally back and I feel so much better about this!   
> I'm sorry I deleted the last chapter and therefore all your comments, but someone advised me to do exactly that. Just trash it and start from scratch! I can't remember who it was, but thank you! I'm sorry if this is causing some confusion now, so maybe just go back a chapter and read it, because this picks up differently than the last chapter. Also, don't worry about the whole Instagram picture part. It will be featured in the next chapter, I didn't trash that part. But I will have to tweak it just a bit, you'll see! :)
> 
> Anyway, this is a day early, but you waited long enough. Thank you for being so patient and let me know what you think! ♥

**June 13** **th** **, 2020 ~ Amelia 11 ½ weeks old**

The low thumping of the music vibrated in her chest as Sylvie made her way back over to her friends who were sitting in a booth at the other end of the bar. Stella and Emily had dragged her out of her apartment for their first girl’s night since she took Amelia in.

With Matt watching the baby, her friends had taken her to one of their favorite bars, the Blue Moon. Emily had actually wanted to go clubbing, but with the help of Stella, Sylvie convinced her friend to slowly ease her back into going out. Even in their favorite bar, Sylvie had felt slightly out of place in the beginning, but after one cocktail, her discomfort went away.

Barely drinking during the last three months also meant she was out of practice, feeling buzzed after just one drink. It was definitely the reason she had gotten their drinks this time, telling the barkeeper to minimize the alcohol in her cocktail.

Balancing the three cocktails in her hand, she maneuvered herself through the dancing people until she reached their booth.

“Huh, I feel like I just went through an obstacle course,” she huffed as she placed the glasses onto the table. “Someone bumped into me, so our drinks might be mixed up now.”

“We’re gonna be drunk soon anyway,” Emily waved her off, sliding one glass closer to her.

With a small smile on her face, Sylvie shook her head, sitting down next to Stella. “I can’t be dead drunk, guys. I need to be coherent enough to get up with Amelia.”

“Or you could invite a certain captain to stay over later and let him take care of the baby,” Stella piped up, raising her eyebrows suggestively. “He might even keep you warm during the night.”

Pursing her lips, she shrugged, “Wouldn’t be the first time we shared a bed.” Heat rose to her cheeks at her words, and her eyes widened. Alcohol always loosened her tongue a bit too much.

“Whoa, what happened to your usual denial?” Stella exclaimed, bumping their shoulders. “Is there something you wanna share with us?”

“There’s no way you jumped him, and I haven’t noticed,” Emily objected, slamming her hand gently on the table. 

Taking a sip from her drink, Sylvie crossed her legs under the table, bracing her elbow on it and propping her chin onto her hand. “Nothing has changed. We’re still just friends.”

“Am I hearing some frustration there?” Stella challenged her, nudging her side with her elbow a few times.

The paramedic hummed inaudibly, pressing her lips together to prevent the words from spilling out of her mouth. Maybe she was indeed a little frustrated. With their friendship and her own feelings.

“Don’t hold back on us now, girl,” Stella encouraged her, nipping at her drink. “Besides, you’ll feel better once it’s all out.”

Tipping her head into the direction of her friend, Sylvie mustered the firefighter. Her hair was open today, only the front part tied into a high ponytail on her head that now bobbed along as she nodded.

Seconds later, Emily covered her hand with hers, giving her a soft squeeze. “Stella’s right. Let it out, Brett.”

Sylvie’s gaze briefly drifted to her other friend, before she took a large sip from her cocktail. Maybe she shouldn’t have told the barkeeper to take it easy with the alcohol. Taking a deep breath, she let her arm fall loudly to the table, blurting out, “I’m in love with him.”

For a second, nobody said anything, and Sylvie lifted her head in confusion, looking back and forth between her friends. They both looked flabbergasted, their brows wrinkled and their mouths open.

After closing and opening her mouth a few times, Stella was the first to speak, “Uh, I don’t exactly know why that is a bad thing?”

“I can give you a million different reasons why I shouldn’t feel this way,” Sylvie countered fiercely, reclining in her seat and crossing her arms in front of her chest.

“Name one,” Emily challenged her.

“We work together.”

“Kelly and I work together too,” Stella disputed, waving her off. “Next.”

“He might not feel the same way.”

“Please, it’s blindingly obvious that the captain is in love with you,” Emily snorted, shaking her head in disbelief, and then leveling her with a pointed look. “Next.

“I have Amelia to think about,” she tried again, biting her lip. It was a feeble argument.

“Now, you’re just trying to mock us,” Emily deadpanned, looking at her unamused. “He’s sitting at our apartment right now, watching her. The munchkin has him wrapped around her finger, and he’s just as devoted to her as he is to you. He would literally run into a burning building for both of you.”

“Quite literally, actually,” Stella added, and her two friends shared a quick fist pump.

“You better come up with a good argument, Sylvie Brett, because I’ve just been hearing excuses,” Emily chastised her gently.

Taking a steadying breath, Sylvie uncrossed her arms, leaning forward as her hands framed her glass. “He’s Gabby’s ex-husband.” She paused, focusing her eyes onto the table, and pushing her glass out of her hands. “It’s like rule number one of girl code. Besides, up until now, they always found their way back to each other.”

For the second time this evening, her friends stayed quiet until Stella wrapped her arm around her shoulder, giving her a quick squeeze.

“Look, I had a front-row seat to their relationship too, and I get that their connection and history seems immeasurable, but it really isn’t. They had their problems too, and even if Gabby wouldn’t have left, they still might have reached a dead-end at some point,” Stella noted, rubbing her hand up and down her arm. “Casey’s an honorable guy who’s not gonna lead you on when he’s still hoping to rekindle his old relationship. It’s been almost two years since their divorce, and he’s moved on.”

Sylvie sighed, picking on her napkin. “In the back of my mind I know he’d never hurt me on purpose, and I don’t think he is still waiting for her to come back, but there is always the possibility she might come back for good, and that might change things for him. They were on and off again several times, and history always repeats itself.”

“What happened to always being optimistic, Sylvie Brett? This isn’t like you.” Stella squeezed her arm, giving her a soft shake. “I get your concerns, and I don’t wanna deflate any of them, but they’re all what-if questions. And in the end, there is only one person who would be able to give you a straight answer for them.”

Even in her slightly tipsy state, Sylvie knew that her friend was right. The only one who could relieve her of all her concerns would be Matt. That, however, would require her to voice them to him, and that was something entirely different.

“Apart from that, is there anything else that’s preventing you from jumping your baby daddy?” Emily piped up, pulling Sylvie’s attention to her.

Chewing on her lip, she rested her elbow on the table again, leaning her head onto it. “I want him to make the first move. I’ve always been the one to take the initiative, and I just wanna know what it feels like to be… wooed.”

Both Stella and Emily burst out laughing at her words.

“What?” Sylvie asked perplexed.

“What do you think he has been subtly doing for the last few weeks?” Emily smirked, jutting her chin out to her as she teased her with wide eyes, “That man can hardly keep his hands to himself.”

“Those were just friendly touches between friends,” Sylvie tried to justify their actions, but the argument was weak. “How am I supposed to know he wants more? He hasn’t said anything, and he has certainly not asked me out.”

“I can give him a nudge in the right direction,” Stella offered, shrugging her shoulders. “Or you could do that yourself next time he tries to flirt or get cozy with you.”

“Please don’t interfere, guys,” the blonde paramedic quickly clarified. Her meddling friends were the last thing she needed. She couldn’t risk anything going wrong with Matt, and meddling friends were the definition of drama and misunderstandings. “Can we please change the subject now?”

“Absolutely. I’m gonna get us some shots to get this party started,” Emily exclaimed excitedly, before getting up and disappearing towards the bar.

“I have a feeling I’m gonna get super drunk tonight.” Sylvie murmured, letting herself fall back against the booth while crossing her arms.

“Yep, we all will,” Stella agreed with a grin on her face.

* * *

A loud rattling against the door woke Matt up, and he groaned, rolling onto his side as he squeezed his eyes shut. For a second, he was disoriented, but then he remembered he was on Sylvie’s couch, watching Amelia as the girls all went out together. He must have fallen asleep because he distinctly remembered watching some action movie. The noise of the TV was still on low, and when he opened his eyes, the faint flickering of yet another movie blinded him for a moment, before his eyes adjusted to the low light.

Just as he sat up, the door opened and seconds later, the room was flooded with light. Groaning, he quickly shut his eyes again, rubbing them with his hands as he listened to the giggles coming from behind him.

Glancing at his watch, he saw that it was past two in the morning, which did surprise him a bit. Sylvie had told him she’d be back by midnight, stressing it several times. Looking over his shoulder, he saw Foster and Sylvie stumbling into the apartment, Foster’s arm wrapped around Sylvie’s waist, seemingly being the only thing that held the blonde woman up straight and on her feet.

He distinctly remembered Sylvie telling him it was just gonna be a quiet night with her two best friends, but the loud giggling told him the exact opposite happened.

Taking a deep breath, he stood up from the couch, switching off the TV before he turned around to face the girls.

“Matt,” Sylvie exclaimed with a full-blown smile across her face. She extracted herself out of her friend’s arms and wobbled towards him, swaying on her feet.

In a few long strides, he rushed towards her, catching her just as she was about to trip over her own feet. She was definitely drunk. Wrapping his arms securely around her, he mustered her as she buried her face against his chest.

She melted into his embrace, wrapping her own arms loosely around his back, her hands fisting his shirt. She felt warm, and her skin was clammy. Maybe they went clubbing after all.

His gaze then moved to Foster, who was taking off her heels by the door. “Didn’t you promise me to not get her dead drunk?” He scoffed.

“She’s not dead drunk, just drunk. She can still walk and talk,” Emily waved him off, gracefully walking towards the kitchen. From experience, he knew that Foster was probably just as drunk as Sylvie, even though she seemed fine.

“She can hardly walk, Foster. She almost tripped over her own feet,” Matt muttered while maneuvering Sylvie towards the kitchen counter. Grabbing her by the waist, he hoisted her up onto one of the bar stools.

“You’re so strong,” the blonde slurred, running her hands up his arms and to his shoulders. She rested her hands there, brushing her thumbs over the side of his neck a few times, before smirking at him and sliding her hands down his chest.

Goosebumps erupted on his entire body, and he caught her hands in his before they could wander anywhere else. “You’re drunk, Sylvie. Let’s get you some water.”

In the next few minutes, he worked on getting the blonde paramedic hydrated while making sure she didn’t fall off the barstool. It was harder than he thought. Her hands repeatedly reached out towards him, running over his arms, his back, or his chest.

It distracted him and turned him on to the point where he felt himself getting frustrated with the whole situation. He had absolutely no problem with taking care of Sylvie, but she was really testing his self-restrained at the moment, and he needed a breather.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the other paramedic sneaking away, and he hastily growled, “Stop right there, Foster. You’ll take her to the bathroom first.” 

The dark-haired woman stopped dead in her tracks, turning around to him. With a huff, she marched back over to them, and with his help, she grabbed Sylvie by the waist and hauled her to the bathroom with her.

It gave him just enough time to cool off, fill her glass up again, and walk into her room to put it down on her nightstand. She was going to have a killer headache in the morning. Just as he was about to leave her bedroom, Foster and Sylvie came inside, and the dark-haired woman gave her friend a gentle nudge into his direction.

The blonde paramedic shuffled towards him with a smile on her face. She had changed into an oversized t-shirt that barely covered anything, but she had at least taking off her make-up and opened her hair. She looked adorable, and he carefully helped her sit down on the side of her bed.

Being drunk and tired, she fell backwards, laying on her back with her legs dangling off the bed. Her eyes closed and she turned her head away from the light.

“You got it from here, right? I’ve got to teach a spin class at 9:30 in the morning, I really need to sleep,” Foster said as she slowly moved backwards.

Turning his attention back to Foster, he raised his eyebrows. They’ve been in almost the exact same situation a few months back when Matt had brought the two paramedics home after the wedding, except that now everything was just a little different.

He hadn’t planned to stay over, but Sylvie was in no state to get up with Amelia in the morning or at any point of the rest of the night. Foster would probably pass out too, so he really had no choice in the matter, and he honestly didn’t mind too much. He’d rather stay and make sure that both Sylvie and Amelia were taking care of than leaving them to be on their own.

A quick nod from him was all Foster needed to leave the bedroom, silently closing the door behind her.

With a sigh, he focused his attention on Sylvie, who was still lying in the same position with her legs dangling off the bed. Her shirt had ridden up, revealing the black lace of her underwear, and he quickly reached out and tugged it down again, covering her up a bit more.

She had looked beautiful tonight in her tight black dress that attenuated every single one of her curves, and he’d be a liar if he said her appearance hadn’t affected him. The dress combined with her heels had shown off her creamy, long legs and it had reminded him of one of his many fantasies about her. Earlier, he had Amelia to distract him, but now he was on his own.

Tapping her knee with his hand, he told her softly, “Come on, Sylvie. You gotta move up and under the covers. You’ll get cold.”

An inaudible string of words left her mouth, and she lifted her arm over her eyes while the other one fell to rest against her chest, but other than that she didn’t move. It was almost cute, except that it was the middle of the night and it put him into a tempting position.

Realizing that he would not get any help from her, he pulled back her covers before grabbing her and lifting her up and under them. In a matter of seconds, he had her tucked in without her ever opening her eyes, seating himself beside her on the bed.

He wasn’t sure if she was sleeping yet, but she was calm and looked comfortable. Reaching out, he trailed his fingers over her temple, leaning down towards her and pressing a kiss to her hairline. “Sleep tight, Sylvie,” he whispered and then pulled back reluctantly.

“Matt?”

Her raspy voice stopped him from getting up from her bed, and he smoothed his hand over her hair. “I’m here.”

“Stay with me?”

It was a simple question, but for him, it was loaded. Of course, he wanted to crawl into the bed with her, but she was drunk, and he didn’t want to take advantage of her in any way.

“I’ll sleep on the couch. I’ll be here when you wake up,” he promised her instead, hoping it would be enough.

“No, stay here with me,” she whispered, her eyes flying open. “It’s not the first time we shared a bed, and Emily made me promise her to not let my hands wander anymore.” She looked up to him with her big, blue eyes, blinking a few times.

He chuckled softly. “And you think you can keep that promise?”

She nodded her head vigorously but stopped quickly, groaning. “I’m really drunk, Matt.”

He huffed softly, reaching out and tangling his fingers in her hair. Moving his fingertips over her head in a feather-light touch, he whispered, “I know, and that’s why I’m taking the couch. We’ll cuddle again when you’re not drunk.”

She closed her eyes, turning her head into his touch. “You’re the best man I know, Matt,” she murmured softly.

His heart started to beat faster at her words, and he leaned down to press yet another kiss to her hairline, lingering just a moment longer. “Sleep, Sylvie, I’ll be right here when you wake up.”

* * *

**June 14** **th** **, 2020**

The rest of the night had been uneventful. After making sure Sylvie was asleep, Matt had left her bedroom and went back to the couch. Just after six in the morning, Amelia had woken him up, and he had gotten up to take care of her.

After some morning snuggles on the couch, he had fed her and had made some breakfast for himself. Once he had finished eating, he had cleaned up and the two of them had sat down to have some playtime. He had lost track of time, totally engrossed by the little girl who was all smiles this morning. She hadn’t even seemed too bothered to not see Sylvie right away, happily reaching her hands out towards every toy he had held out in front of her.

At some point, Foster had come out of her room, looking slightly hungover. When he had been about to remind her she alone was responsible for her miserable state, she had held up her hand, telling him to not say it. As quickly as she had appeared, she had disappeared out of the front door, and he had once again been alone with Amelia.

One look at her had told him it was about time for her nap, and half an hour later, the two of them laid cuddled up together on the couch. The baby had just fallen asleep on his chest when he heard Sylvie’s door open softly.

Cranking his neck, he tried to catch a glimpse of her, but seconds later, the bathroom door closed. Glancing at his watch, he read that it was just after ten. He was a little surprised to see her up this early. He reckoned he wouldn’t see her before noon.

A few minutes later, the bathroom door opened again, and the soft tapping of her feet on the hardwood floor came closer until her face appeared above him.

“Good morning,” he greeted her with a smile, taking in her tired face. She had dark circles under her eyes, and her hair was looking messy and kind of all over the place. She had thankfully put on shorts that reached her mid-thigh.

“I’m never drinking again,” she grumbled quietly, looking even more miserable. “My head’s killing me. I just took some Advil, but it’s not helping.”

He chuckled, raising one eyebrow. “You’re the paramedic here, but I’m pretty sure these kinds of painkillers don’t work instantly. Give it some time.” 

She groaned, closing her eyes for a second before opening them again and reaching out to stroke her hand over Amelia’s head. “Thank you for staying and taking care of her. You always save the day.”

“It was my pleasure. She’s been an angel,” he assured her, patting Amelia’s bum with his hand that was lying on her back.

“You two do seem cozy,” Sylvie noted.

“You wanna join us?”

Her eyes snapped up to his, mustering him curiously. He didn’t know what had prompted him to ask her this question, but after seeing the small smile on Sylvie’s face seconds later, he was glad he did.

The paramedic straightened her back, grabbing the blanket from the back of the couch and throwing it over him. The couch was small, and while he tried to scoot as far back as possible, he hardly made any space for her.

She didn’t seem to mind though, sitting down on the edge and stretching her body alongside his. Throwing her leg over his, she anchored herself to him, her head coming to rest on his chest as she tugged the blanket over them.

Wrapping his free arm around her back, he pressed her a little closer to make sure she was lying securely against him and wouldn’t fall off the couch if one of them moved.

With her face now close to Amelia’s, the blonde woman pressed a kiss to her tiny nose, taking one of the baby’s hands and holding it in her own while she rested it against his chest. “I missed you, sweets,” she whispered softly to the sleeping baby.

“She probably missed you too. She had her morning cuddles with me today, and while she didn’t seem to mind terribly, she did seem a bit perplexed,” Matt answered for the sleeping baby.

“Nah, I think she’s gotten a pretty decent replacement. I can say from my own experience that you’re a pretty good cuddler,” she mused, and he could feel her smile against his chest.

He almost felt giddy at her words, pressing a kiss to her head and squeezing her gently. “I’m glad to be of service.”

They both stayed quiet after that, and he felt himself dozing off as the happy feeling of having both Sylvie and Amelia in his arms settled deep in his body. It was perfect.

* * *

Happy gurgles and the soft cooing from Sylvie woke him up sometime later. He wasn’t entirely sure how long he had been asleep, but if Amelia slept her normal amount of time, it must have been at least an hour.

He hadn’t moved at all in his sleep, one of his hand still laying on Amelia’s back and the other wrapped around Sylvie. Shifting carefully, he rolled just a bit more onto his side to create more space for the paramedic to move around, and the blonde woman used it to move her head up to his shoulder, glancing up to him.

“I guess we all took a nap,” she hummed with a smile on her face.

“We did. How’s your head?” He asked her softly, bending his arm against her back and tangling his fingers in her hair.

“Much better. Though I’m not sure whether it was the Advil that worked or the nap we took. Maybe it was both,” she answered with a shrug.

Her smile never left her face, and it was one of the most beautiful things he had seen. As he scratched his fingers gently against her scalp, he just knew that this was it.

He wanted to have this for the rest of his life. He wanted to have lazy mornings with Sylvie and Amelia for as long as they would let him, and he knew that it was about time, he finally moved them forward. He needed to just come clean about one last thing first.

“Sylvie, I have something that I need to share with you,” he confessed, swallowing his nerves and concentrating on the beautiful woman in his arms.

Her eyes never left his, looking at him expectantly with no judgment or anything else. It made things easier, and he hoped it wouldn’t change once he came clean.

“A few weeks ago, I bought a house in Bucktown. It’s a fixer-upper, and I have started to do a little work on it over the last few weeks,” he admitted, watching her face closely. When he wasn’t able to gauge her reaction immediately, he hastily added, “I meant to tell you about it earlier, but then that fire happened and it threw me off focus for a while, and up until now, I just didn’t find the right moment to tell you. I’m sorry.”

“Matt. Hey, stop,” she insisted, silencing him with a hand to his cheek. “Don’t apologize for it. I’m glad you’re sharing this with me.”

“You are?”

“Of course.” She brushed her thumb over his cheek, pushing her head closer to his and pressing her lips to his cheek in a tender kiss. “And I would love to see it whenever you’re ready.”

“Absolutely,” he instantly answered, and a silly smile formed on his face. Everything seemed to fall into place, and his heart soared at the idea of sharing every single aspect of his life with her.

Amelia chose this moment to let out an angry wail, demanding their attention, and Sylvie moved her focus back to her, shifting back to her previous position with her head on his chest next to Amelia’s. “You’re so demanding sometimes, lovey. Mommy really wants to hear more about Matt’s house, so let’s listen to him for a few more minutes.”

Unable to suppress his giddiness any longer, he touched his lips to her hairline in a long kiss, squeezing her body tightly to his. As soon as she had seen the house, he was finally gonna ask her out.


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Without further ado, here is the next one! ♥♥♥

**June 16th, 2020 ~ Amelia 12 weeks old**

Backing up into the apparatus floor, Sylvie Brett let out an enormous sigh. “I hate these last-minute calls right before the end of shift.”

“Please don’t jinx it, Brett. I really do not wanna get called out again in the last half an hour,” Foster warned her as they parked the rig. “Besides, you’re just eager to get to your baby. You know, the chances of holding her in the next few minutes are pretty low.”

Sylvie huffed. Emily was right. Eileen Baker, Amelia’s caregiver, had an important meeting across town this morning, and they had arranged for the older woman to bring the baby to the station at 7 am. Usually, the house was just having breakfast around that time, but she had cleared it with Boden just in case. Of course, the chief hadn’t had any objections. The chances that all of them would get called out were low, especially in the summer months.

Unfortunately though, 61 had gotten a call around 6:30 am, and Sylvie had reluctantly left. Luckily, they were the only ones who got called out, so Sylvie knew that Matt would be there to look after Amelia, but it still sucked. She had looked forward to spending some time with the baby and her friends at the station as Amelia was a lot more social these days.

“We need to restock the ambulance anyway,” Sylvie muttered, jumping out of the rig. “I have her all to myself for the next 48 hours, I’ll survive a few more minutes.” She closed the door, hearing the matching thud from the other side of the rig as she walked to the back.

Emily opened the doors on the back, and Sylvie was about to jump in when a series of shrieks filled the apparatus bay. She stopped, glancing around the ambulance and letting her gaze swipe through the big room. The shrieks definitely came from Amelia, but she wasn’t anywhere in sight.

Sighing, she turned her attention back to Emily who was standing in the back of the rig and leveled her with a pointed look.

“What?” Sylvie asked defensively.

“Just go and say hello to her but promise me you’ll come back and help me with the rest in a few minutes,” Emily told her, nodding her head towards the other side of the floor. “I think I saw her with Casey by 81 when we pulled in.”

Sylvie grinned at her friend. “I’ll just give her a few kisses and a quick cuddle, and then I’ll be right back. I promise!”

“Plant one on your baby daddy too. I’m sure he’d love that,” the dark-haired woman teased her with a wink.

Sylvie threw her an angry look, jutting her chin at her, before turning around and walking across the floor towards the other side. The passenger door of 81 was open, and when Sylvie came closer, she saw Matt sitting in the driver’s seat with Amelia on his lap. Smiling, she made her way around the truck, stopping by the open door at the driver’s side.

“Who do we have here?” She asked in a high-pitched voice, looking up to them. “You must be our youngest recruit yet!”

Matt turned his focus to her, greeting her with a wide smile. “This is candidate Brett. She’s aspiring to be our truck driver in the future.”

“Oh, I see,” Sylvie replied as she climbed onto the first step of the truck. “Here I thought she would take after her mommy and become a paramedic.”

“We’ll see about that,” Matt answered amused, hoisting Amelia up a little straighter on his lap. “What do you think, love bug? Wanna tell us which career path you’ll choose?”

Amelia gurgled happily, throwing her arms through the air while she focused her eyes on Sylvie. A smile spread over her face and her hands opened and closed in excitement.

“I think the answer is inconclusive,” Sylvie decided. Climbing up another step, she held onto Matt’s thigh as she leaned over his lap to Amelia. “Hi, sweets. Mommy missed you.”

Amelia’s hands hit her face, the smile never leaving her face as Sylvie kissed her chubby cheeks. Nuzzling their noses together, Sylvie laughed softly.

“Are we still on for tomorrow?” Matt asked her while wrapping his arm around her waist, pressing her against the side of the seat and his body.

“Absolutely! I’m dying to see this house of yours. I’m a little bummed that I can come today, but I promised to meet Chloe for breakfast and in the afternoon, we have Amelia’s routine check-up.” With his arm securely wrapped around her waist, she let go of his thigh, reaching for Amelia’s hand and placing a kiss onto it. “Which is why I really have to finish restocking the ambulance. You two will be fine for a little longer, right?”

“Of course, I’ll just teach her some more stuff about truck until you’re done.” He sounded happy, and Sylvie straightened up to meet his eyes. A mischievous grin covered his face and one of his eyebrows was pulled up as if he was trying to challenge her.

“I’m not sure I want my daughter running into burning buildings for a living,” she countered, narrowing her eyes at him.

He wrinkled his forehead at her words, tilting his head to the side. “It does sound like a bad idea, if you put it like that.”

“Told ya,” she smirked at him, patting his chest.

Before he could reply, Ritter’s voice interrupted them. “Guys, we have a question for you.”

Sylvie flinched at his voice, grabbing onto Matt’s thigh again. His own grip on her waist tightened too, making sure that she was standing securely on the truck. She shifted her upper body around, seeing Ritter and Gallo standing in front of the open truck door. They both had their hands stuffed into their pockets, moving nervously in their places.

“Well, we actually have to ask you something,” Gallo corrected Ritter, looking directly at Sylvie while clearing his throat. After a jab of his friend’s elbow, he continued, “You know we’re working on 51’s Instagram account, and it’s been a rather slow process. We’re not reaching a lot of people, and we’ve been brainstorming on how to change that.” He stopped, pursing his lips and throwing his friend a wide-eyed look, urging him to continue.

“Uh, well, and you know how Boden always reminds us we’re a family friendly house, and that everyone is welcome here? We thought we should build on that and show that 51 is one big family,” Ritter explained, folding his hands together in front of his body.

Confused, Sylvie turned to Matt, raising her eyebrows in question, but he looked just as confused as she was. Directing her gaze back at the two young men in front of the truck, she looked at them expectantly.

“What does that have to do with me?”

“Uh, well, we thought maybe we could… uhm,” Ritter stuttered.

“Gallo, Ritter, out with it now!” Matt ordered them sternly, and the two men straightened up immediately.

“We wanted to introduce ourselves to make us more approachable, and we thought we could start with you, and include a picture of Amelia too,” Gallo revealed their plan in fast words. “You have a friendly face, and together with Amelia it’d be the perfect start.”

She tilted her head to the side, wrinkling her forehead. “So why are you making a big deal out of it? I don’t mind. Though I’d prefer if you keep Amelia’s name out of it.”

“For sure! That won’t be a problem,” Gallo assured her, his famous grin appearing back on his face. “Just let us know whatever you don’t want us to do or write. Besides, her cute face is more than enough.”

Amelia gurgled happily, as if she knew that they were talking about her. Distracted, Sylvie turned to her and threw her a smile.

“What kind of picture do you have in mind?” She asked absentmindedly. It was honestly no big deal for her. She had her own Instagram account where she had posted a picture of her before. Granted, she had a private account, choosing her followers carefully, but if it would just be one picture, it would be fine.

“To be honest, we’d be fine with anything. This right here looks pretty family friendly,” Ritter shrugged, pointing to the three of them. It took him just a second longer and a not so gentle nudge from Gallo for him to understand the meaning of his own words.

Truthfully, the thought of having a picture of the three of them gave her a thrill. Her camera roll was filled with pictures of Amelia, and when Matt had stayed with her a few weeks ago, she had snuck a few pictures of him and Amelia. Her favorite by far though was still the one Emily and Stella had snapped at the fire station, and she might also be using that one as her phone background at the moment.

“Only if it’s alright with you, Captain,” Gallo added to save his friend.

Peaking back to Matt, she saw his thinking expression. He seemed to have an inner battle, one that she should have herself, but everything in her just screamed to say yes. Would it paint the wrong picture for the public? Possibly, but not if the text under the picture was clearly phrased. And who cares about what they think anyway?

Giving his thigh a squeeze, she caught his eyes. “I don’t mind,” she said in a low voice, so only he could hear it.

He blinked a few times, holding her gaze for a second longer, and Sylvie could see the exact moment, he lost his inner battle as his lips tugged upwards.

“It’s fine,” he addressed the firefighters in a steady voice, his gaze bouncing shortly to them and then back to her.

Relief washed over her, and she beamed up to him before turning back to Ritter and Gallo. “Let’s do this, I got an ambulance to restock!”

* * *

**June 17th, 2020**

Matt couldn’t remember the last time he had felt this happy. Things were falling into place between Sylvie and him, and he could hardly keep the smile off his face these days. Ever since he told her about the house a few days ago, when they had laid cuddled up on her couch, he felt like he could move mountains.

He was planning on asking her out in a few days when the news about the house had settled, and he was really hoping for some time with just the two of them. He loved Amelia dearly, but some uninterrupted time with Sylvie sounded fantastic, and it would both give them a chance to concentrate on them.

Today, he was working at the house, and they had agreed that she would come over for lunch with Amelia. It was something they had set up the day he had told her about the house, and he had been looking forward to it ever since. He was excited to share this with her, and Sylvie seemed to be too. She would continuously bring it up in their conversation, and it had actually prompted him to get up early this morning to get a few extra things finished before she was set to arrive.

She had texted him a few minutes ago that she was going to pick up lunch now and be there soon, and he quickly dusted himself off, going to the kitchen area to wash his hands to look a little more presentable. He had paint and sawdust on his jeans and t-shirt, and suddenly he wished he had brought a clean shirt.

As he was sweeping the floor in the living room, he heard a knock on the door and a smile appeared on his face. She was fast.

“Come on inside, it’s open,” he called out, putting the broom to the side and brushing his hands down his front once more as he made his way around the corner and to the front of the house. To his surprise, it wasn’t Sylvie who was standing in the entrance but his sister and niece.

“Christie, Violet, what are you doing here?” He asked perplexed.

“Imagine my surprise, when Violet and I went over to your place, and Kelly told us that you were working on your _house_ today,” Christie challenged him with a raised eyebrow. “You could have mentioned that at family dinner two weeks ago.”

“Did you buy the house for your paramedic friend and her baby?” Violet chimed in, crossing her arms in front of herself.

“Her name is Sylvie,” Matt fired back, leveling them both with a pointed look. “And yes, I bought a house a few weeks ago. I can’t live with Severide forever.”

“He didn’t deny it, Mom,” Violet exclaimed excited, bumping her shoulder against her mother’s. “Told you he has the hots for Sylvie. The picture on Instagram of the three of them was so cute. You’re really pulling that daddy look off, Uncle Matt.”

“Violet,” Christie chastised her daughter, before turning back to Matt. “We thought we stopped by and see if we could take you to lunch. But now I want to see this house, even though it does look a little scary from the outside.” She walked over to him giving him a hug.

“Don’t judge a book by its cover.” He pressed a kiss to his sister’s cheek, returning her hug, before turning to Violet. “Sometimes I wonder where you got all that sass from, Violet. I’m not pestering you about your boyfriend. Besides, didn’t you want me to enlarge your closet? I might have to rethink that if you can’t be nice to me.” He muttered as he threw his arm over his niece’s shoulder, giving her a tight squeeze. “Now show me the photo you’re talking about.”

“Ugh, fine. But it’s so fun to see you squirm. You’ve been happier lately,” Violet shrugged, looping her arm around his side while moving her fingers of the other hand over the screen of her phone. “She is sooo cute, Uncle Matt. I hardly saw her when I met you at the store.”

He just hummed, peaking over Violet’s shoulder when she pulled up the picture.

It was a nice picture, looking indeed very family friendly. He had Amelia sitting on his left leg, supporting her with both of his hands as she was leaning with one hand against the steering wheel. Sylvie was standing on the steps outside of the truck, holding onto the headrest of the driver’s seat. Both Sylvie and he had tried to make it look as professional as possible, trying to touch minimally, but they were still standing pretty close together.

The picture was not taken directly from the side, but more from the front as Gallo had shot it through the opened window of the door. They were all smiling into the camera, and it had taken a few tries for it to look like that, but the end result was definitely worth it. He remembered Sylvie instructing Gallo to sent it to her, and he made a mental note that he needed to ask her for it too.

“And who came up with this cute caption?” Violet gushed, before starting to read it out loud. “Meet the youngest member of our 51 family and our youngest recruit! Twenty years from now, the daughter of our PIC (paramedic in charge) Sylvie Brett is going to be our new truck driver. Our Captain Matthew Casey is testing out her skills and so far, the little sunshine has passed his tests. Both Brett and Casey have been with us for many years and are valuable members of our family that we wouldn’t want to miss.” She stopped, squeezing his side. “I mean come on, Uncle Matt. Please tell me you’re gonna ask her out.”

Matt chuckled softly, shaking his head while looking over to his sister for help, but she was looking at him expectantly too.

“It is a nice picture, and you do look happy,” she offered with a shrug.

Huffing softly, he let go of his niece. “You two are both nosey. How about I give you a tour now?”

* * *

In the next few minutes, Matt took the two women for a quick tour around the house, the emphasis being on quick. Sylvie would arrive any minute, and while he technically didn’t mind her meeting his sister and niece, he’d preferred to show Sylvie the house alone.

He had started his tour upstairs, but when he was showing them the kitchen and the dining area, a knock rang through the house and he heard the door being opened.

“Matt?” Sylvie called out hesitantly from the entrance.

“Is that her?” Violet asked surprised, her eyes widening. “You should have said that she was coming over too!”

Matt huffed. “Just be nice to her and stop with the teasing.”

“It’ll be fine, Matt,” Christie assured him, laying a hand on her daughter’s shoulder. “Violet will behave herself. You should go and greet your _friend_ , we’ll wait here.” She winked at him, throwing him a smile.

Rolling his eyes, he turned around and headed for the entrance. He had been nervous enough to show Sylvie the house because it was important for him that she liked it, but now with Christie and Violet there, his nerves were rattling.

When he rounded the corner, he spied her standing by the door with Amelia strapped into the baby carrier. She was wearing black shorts, and for a second, he had trouble tearing his gaze away from her legs, but he pulled himself together and let his gaze wander up to her face. Her cheeks were rosy almost matching her dusky pink t-shirt, and he figured it must be from the heat outside. She wasn’t looking at him, her gaze swiping through the entrance way and out of the windows. Amelia’s diaper bag was hanging over one of her shoulders, and in her other hand, she was carrying a paper bag, probably with their food inside.

“Hey, there,” he greeted her as he crossed the distance between them.

At his words, she directed her gaze towards him, and a smile spread over her face. “Hi, Matt. I’m sorry it took a little longer, but we had to clean up a little accident just now before this little lady was presentable again.”

“Oh, no,” he chuckled as he stopped in front of them. He rested his hand on the back of the baby, bowing his head down to her. “You’re keeping Mommy on her toes, love bug.”

The baby eyed him with wide eyes, and he tickled her foot gently, earning himself a smile from her. Grabbing onto Sylvie’s waist, he touched his lips to the baby’s chubby cheek, inhaling her sweet scent for a second, before moving his head up to meet the paramedic’s eyes.

“I’m glad you could make it,” he told her as he pressed a kiss to her cheek too.

“I’m excited to see the house. I live for renovations. You know how much I love HGTV,” she answered with a twinkle in her eyes, giving his arm a soft squeeze. “I already love this open entrance with the high ceilings and the staircase.”

“I do know. We hardly changed the channel to anything else while I was staying at your place. It’s not something I’ll easily forget.” With a teasing pinch to her hip, he pulled his hand back.

She scrunched up her nose, shaking her head in amusement. “I’m gonna leave it at that. How about you give me the tour now? Our food can wait!”

Raising his arm behind his head, he scratched his neck sheepishly. “About that. Christie and Violet came over for a surprise visit a few minutes ago. They’re in the kitchen.”

“Oh.” Her face fell, and she reached up to hold onto the strap of the diaper bag. “Do you want me to go and take a walk around the block or something?”

“What? No, absolutely not” he shut down her question. “I’d like you to meet them. I just wasn’t sure if you wanted to.”

“Matt, why wouldn’t I want to meet them?” Sylvie chastised him gently, handing him the bag of food. “If you want us to meet, then I’d be happy to get to know them. They’re your family.” Her hand came to rest on his upper arm, playing with the hem of his sleeve before slipping her fingers under it and trailing them over his bare skin.

Her touch relaxed him instantly, and he let out the breath he was holding. “Then I’d really liked you to meet them. I do have to warn you though. They can be a handful, especially Violet. They’re nosey and sometimes inappropriate, and please don’t feel obligated to answer any of their questions,” he nervously rambled on, shifting on his feet.

Sylvie chuckled softly, squeezing his arm. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you this nervous before.”

Pressing his lips together, he swallowed the rest of his words, hanging his head. “I’m—”

“You better not finish that sentence, Matt Casey. You have nothing to apologize for,” she told him firmly, stepping more into his space. “But if it makes you feel better, I can assure you that my opinion of you is not going to change after meeting your family. So, let’s go now.”

She handed him the diaper bag too, and it was all he needed to slip back into action. His nerves weren’t quite settled, but Sylvie’s determined look had to be enough for now. Hoisting the strap of the bag up and over his shoulder, he gestured towards the hallway, and Sylvie smiled up to him one last time, before starting to walk towards the back of the house.

* * *

“She’s so cute, Uncle Matt. Just look at her tiny nose,” Violet gushed as she gently bobbed Amelia’s nose.

They were all standing around the kitchen counter, and Amelia had wandered from Sylvie’s arms to Matt’s and then to Christie’s while Sylvie and Matt had eaten their burgers. With her three months, she hadn’t reached the stage of being scared around strangers, so the baby didn’t seem to mind at all. Besides, Matt was always near her, never straying too far away from her.

It was really sweet, and Sylvie definitely wasn’t the only one who noticed his overbearing nature around the baby. Christie had chuckled at him, swatting away his hands as he tried to make sure his sister had had a tight hold of the baby earlier. His worries were for nothing though as she had of course gone through this stage before herself. Violet was the living proof of that.

The blonde paramedic was more than happy to meet some of Matt’s family. Both Christie and Violet were nice, welcoming her with open arms and smiles on their faces. Until now, not one of them had made any inappropriate comments, and Sylvie had fun chatting with Christie. They shared their love for cooking, and finding out that Christie was vegan, had excited Sylvie.

“I’d really love to see some of your recipes. I haven’t really dappled in cooking vegan, but it sounds exciting,” Sylvie smiled at her, crumpling her burger wrapper. “It may not seem as I’m into healthy food right now, but I really am. And I love cooking and trying new recipes!”

Christie chuckled. “Well, you’re welcome to come to family dinner any time. I did hear that you’re a pretty good cook. My brother couldn’t stop raving about your lasagna during our last dinner. I know he isn’t too keen on eating vegan.”

A blush formed on her cheeks, and she glanced at Matt who was standing next to her, watching over Violet and Amelia like a hawk. His niece was holding the baby, making faces at her, earning herself a smile from the baby every now and then. He looked ready to jump in any second, and Sylvie was sure he wasn’t even paying attention to her conversation with his sister.

“Maybe Matt will bring me some time, if you don’t mind Amelia tagging along,” Sylvie answered shyly, biting her lip. The offer sounded nice, and during the last few days, Matt and she had seemed to make progress on their friendship. Something in him had changed ever since he told her about the house, and it made her excited.

“Please, I think all the Casey’s are smitten with your daughter. I’m not sure I’ll be able to tear Violet away from her,” Christie waved her off before reaching out and laying a hand on her arm. “He’s been really happy lately, and I’m glad to finally meet the reason for that.”

Sylvie’s heart beat faster at her words, and the blush on her cheeks intensified to the point where she could feel the heat radiating off her cheeks. She bit down harder on her lip, not knowing how to answer, and she averted her gaze onto her hands on the counter.

“I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable or put any kind of pressure on you, but I wanted you to know that I’m grateful he has you,” Christie told her lowly, giving her arm a soft squeeze.

Reaching her hand up to Christie’s, Sylvie’s head snapped up. “I’m lucky to have him. He’s the best.” Her voice was barely a whisper and she hastily cleared her throat. Her words meant a lot, and as the urge to hug Matt’s sister became too immense, Sylvie wrapped her arms around the blonde woman, giving her a tight squeeze.

The teacher reciprocated her hug just as firmly, and when they pulled apart, they shared a smile. Upon stepping back, Sylvie collided with Matt who had moved closer. Her back bumped into his chest, and his hand landed on her waist.

She glanced over her shoulder, looking up to him. A crease had formed on his forehead, and his eyes scanned over her face.

“You OK?” He whispered as his warm hand brushed over the thin material of her t-shirt.

She tilted her head to the side, bumping her elbow softly into his chest. With a smile on her face, she assured him, “I’m great. Christie just promised me to share some of her vegan recipes with me. That’s pretty exciting.”

The expression on his face morphed from concern to amusement with a hint of fear in it. Nodding his head slowly, he let out a sigh. “I see you two are getting along just fine.”

“You have to bring Amelia and Sylvie to our next family dinner, Uncle Matt! I can’t wait to have more cuddles with this cute, little munchkin here,” Violet chimed in, sounding overly excited.

Matt’s hold on her waist tightened, and his eyes never left her face. “Well, if you haven’t scared her off completely, I might be able to convince her to join us.”

“Matt,” Sylvie huffed in a mocking voice as she pushed her elbow back against his chest again. This time though, with her heart racing in her chest, she leaned into his chest, letting the heat of his body swap into hers.

“Why do I get the feeling you’re already ganging up on me with my sister?” Matt questioned her with a scrutinizing look on his face and a mischievous twinkle in his eyes.

“Alright, I think it’s time Violet and I leave now. We’ve taken enough of your time,” Christie interrupted their banter, and with a wink and pinch to her hip, Matt separated from her, turning back to Violet.

“Time to hand back the baby, Violet.” Matt stretched his arms out to his niece, who pouted and hugged the baby closer.

* * *

It took another ten minutes to get Christie and Violet out of the house, but Sylvie didn’t mind. Meeting part of Matt’s family was wonderful, and she was glad he was so openly sharing this part of his life with her. It felt great, and it left her feeling giddy to get to know them better.

Sylvie watched as Matt closed the front door, turning back around to face her with Amelia on his arm. He took a deep breath, letting the air out slowly again, and Sylvie chuckled.

“Me meeting your family has really stressed you out, huh?” She walked closer to him, stopping in front of him and laying a hand on Amelia’s back.

“Let’s just say I had planned this day differently,” he confessed with a shrug, turning Amelia in his arms so that she was sitting with her back against his chest, facing Sylvie.

A smile spread over the paramedic’s face, and she leaned forward, touching her nose to the baby’s, and giving her an Eskimo kiss. “Hi, sweets. Are you having a good time? Because Mommy’s really enjoying our day with Matt so far.” She nuzzled their nose together one more time, taking one of the baby’s hands in her own before straightening and mustering Matt. “You had plans for today, huh?”

“I did,” he confirmed with a nod. “And while they were slightly disrupted, I do think they’ll work out pretty well.”

“As long as they involve me seeing the rest of the house now, I’ll be pretty happy,” Sylvie acknowledge with a raised eyebrow.

Matt chuckled. “Let’s go upstairs then. I think you’ve waited long enough.”

A grin spread over her face, and she let go of Amelia’s hand, walking back towards the stairs. “I really love this open entrance way with the high ceiling. The hallway is just a little narrow, but I do like the fact that you’re not stepping into the living or dining room right after entering the house.”

“Since the front door isn’t directly placed in the middle of the front wall, they created some space for a half bath and a storage closet,” Matt added while pointing to the left side of the room opposite of the staircase, where two doors led to the rooms he just described.

“That’s nice, and very practical for shoes and coats or anything else you don’t want to clutter up the entrance,” Sylvie agreed as she walked up the stairs slowly, her gaze swiping across the room. “It’s also bright in here with the two windows. Though I’m not sure how you’ll ever clean the one up there because you can literally not reach it from either side.” She pointed to the window on the second level that was placed over the one on the first level.

“Severide and I replaced all the windows last week, and that one was for sure the trickiest. We needed two ladders, and it took a lot of balancing to get it up there. In the end, we called up Capp to come over and help,” Matt told her when they reached the top of the stairs.

Sylvie took a moment to let her gaze swipe over the room from above, but as she stepped closer to the railing to peak down, Matt’s arm banned around her waist, pulling her back.

“The railing is not entirely stable anymore, please don’t get too close,” he advised her, using his grip on her to turn her back towards the other rooms. “All the bedrooms are up here, and there is one full bathroom on this hallway and the master bedroom has an ensuite bathroom. I think they all have a decent size, but please keep in mind that all of them will need some work. It’s been a while since anybody lived here or renovated this place for the matter.”

During the next few minutes, Matt let her roam around the three bedrooms that were placed on each side of the hallway that stretched all the way to the back of the house. She agreed with him that they all had a good size with each room having a small build-in closet. Adding to that the rooms each had two windows, making them look bright and friendly.

The master bedroom was slightly bigger with a third window and also a third door. One of the doors led to the bathroom while the other led to the small build-in closet, but the third one opened up to another small room with another window.

Confused, Sylvie turned to Matt. “What is that supposed to be?”

“My best guess is they used this as a nursery back in the day. I don’t think they used this as a closet before, but I was thinking about modifying it into a walk-in closet. I’m thinking about moving the wall between this room and the bathroom to make the bathroom just a bit bigger. And even if it’s slightly smaller in here, there will still be more than enough space for clothes. I certainly don’t own that many clothes.”

Biting down hard on her lip, Sylvie tried to repress the squeal that was threatening to escape her throat. A walk-in closet was always something she wanted to have, but she quickly shut down her excitement because she was getting way ahead of herself. This was Matt’s house, and not hers or theirs.

“I think that is a beautiful idea. Walk-in closets are a great addition to every bedroom, and they give you a tone of space to store pretty much anything,” she said instead, walking back towards the bathroom. “Besides, it gives you more space in here, and you could probably do a double sink then.”

Matt just hummed behind her, and when she turned around to him, she found him staring at her intensely with his lips parted, his chest almost pressed to hers. Amelia had fallen asleep in his arms a while ago, and rested against his shoulder, her tiny hand fisting his shirt.

Sylvie could feel his warm breath against her face, and goosebumps erupted on her entire body. His eyes were soft, shimmering with a glimmer of hope and longing that made her knees go weak. In this moment, there was no doubt in her mind that he felt the same way, and all her fears vanished. If Matt would look at her like this for the rest of her life, she wouldn’t care about anything else.

It took everything in her to not cross the distance between them and kiss him senseless, but she kept repeating to herself that this wasn’t the place or the time. They needed to do this the right way, and she just knew that they were incredibly close to tipping the scales. 

“Maybe we should go downstairs again, and you could tell me more about the kitchen and the living area,” she suggested quickly with a small smile on her face. It would hopefully defuse the tension between them without pushing him away. “I can’t wait to see the bedrooms once you’re finished, Matt. I’m sure it will be beautiful. This is a great space.” She rested her hand on his arm, running it lightly up and down.

He caught her hand in his, intertwining their fingers together and giving her hand a gentle squeeze. “I’m glad you like it. It’s gonna be a lot of work during the next few months, but I’ll hopefully be at least halfway finished by the end of the year. At least that’s my own deadline.”

“I’m sure you’ll manage. And maybe I can lend you a hand from time to time. I’m an expert painter,” she bragged, winking at him.

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Matt mused as he started to walk backward, tugging her along by the hand.

His warm grip felt wonderful, and even though their day wasn’t nearly over, she already knew that this was one of the best days she had spent with Matt Casey so far. 


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey lovely people! 
> 
> Thank you for your continuous support, I love reading all your comments and thoughts about the story. Right now, I'm trying to figure out where I want to end this story, and it's anything between 2-3 more chapters now. Now, don't worry, there will be a lot more one-shots for this story, but I wanna post them separately from the main story. Mainly because I need a break from constant writing. I love it, but I'm starting my master thesis now, and it's definitely gonna get harder to find time between uni and my social life. 
> 
> I'll figure it out though, and you all just enjoy this chapter. You're gonna love it. And I mean LOVE it!! ♥♥♥

**June 19th, 2020 ~ Amelia 12 ½ weeks old**

It was 9 pm on a Friday night, and Sylvie was sitting alone on her couch in her silent apartment. Except for her girl’s night with Stella and Emily last week, her social life was pretty boring these days. Having a baby at home prevented her from going out, and it had never bothered her as much before.

She loved Amelia dearly, and she could never regret taking her in. Stepping up and becoming a parent to Amelia was one of the best decisions she had made in her life. The utter love she got to feel from the little girl every single day was more than worth it.

Today though, not going out like all her other friends troubled her a bit more than usual.

Emily had just left to meet some of her friends from her days at med school to celebrate her going back to get her degree, and while it wasn’t exactly unusual for her to be out and about, it was different this time.

Their last shift together was going to be this Sunday, and it put Sylvie into a slightly bitter mood. Tomorrow, the entire second shift was having a farewell barbeque for her, a surprise for Emily that had been hard to keep secret.

Sylvie had exactly one job, and that was to lure the paramedic to the beach where the rest of their colleagues would be waiting to surprise her. It was an easy task, and Sylvie didn’t need to try hard to convince her roomie. Apart from it being Amelia’s first time at the beach, the weather was supposed to be great, and Emily loved the beach.

Emily’s farewell barbeque was going to be a hit, Sylvie was sure of that, but it was also going to be bittersweet. She was yet again going to lose another partner on ambo, and that sucked. Then again, it was also a bit ridiculous because she wouldn’t actually lose Emily. The two of them had agreed to continue sharing their apartment at least until their lease was up which would run out by the end of the year.

Deep down, Sylvie knew that Emily would probably wanna move closer to the campus then, but she pushed that thought into the farthest corner of her mind. She had half a year to get used to that idea.

But half an hour ago, when Emily had left the apartment, everything had just gotten a little too real, and Sylvie’s mood had dropped. The feeling of loneliness slowly crept up in her, something she hadn’t felt in months.

Of course, her first thought was to call Matt, but she remembered him mentioning that he was going to Molly’s tonight with Severide. She had seen him a lot during the last few days, which was nice, but he deserved to spend some time with his best friend. Besides, he was going to be at the barbeque tomorrow.

All her other friends were probably at Molly’s too, and while she complemented about calling up Chloe or Joe, she discarded that idea quickly. If they weren’t enjoying their life as a married couple, they would also be at Molly’s. The longer she thought about it, the weirder it felt to call one of her friends because she felt a tad lonely. It would make her look just a little desperate, so maybe she just needed to suck it up. She would see all of them tomorrow.

Sighing, she stood up from the couch to make herself some tea. Sure, it was summer, and they were basically in the middle of a heatwave, but tea usually always helped to calm her mind. Maybe now was a good time to call her mother to catch up. They hadn’t spoken in a while. At least not more than a few minutes.

Grabbing her phone from the kitchen counter, she unlocked it, looking for her mother’s contact. As she was about to press call, a soft knock echoed through the apartment.

Confused, she lowered her phone back onto the counter and turned to take the boiling kettle off the stove, before walking towards the apartment door. Pushing herself onto her tiptoes, she looked through the peephole, surprised at the sight in front of her door.

Quickly unlocking it, Sylvie opened it almost a little too eagerly. “Matt! What are you doing here?” She exclaimed, her lips parting in surprise.

“It’s nice to see you too, Sylvie,” he responded with a soft huff, raising his eyebrows at her. “You want me to go again?” He nodded his head down the hallway, turning away from her.

“What? No, I was just surprised to see you. Come in, please,” she stopped him with a hand on his arm. God no, he was just the person she wanted to see.

A chuckle left his throat, and he crossed the distance between them, closing the door behind him. “Good decision, because I brought gifts.” He tapped the brown paper bag in his arm, making it rustle.

“Hmm, I love gifts,” she mused with a small smile on her face, mustering him. “Don’t take this the wrong way again, but why are you here?”

“Someone told me you needed some cheering up, and by the way your face just fell at those words, I think it’s safe to say that I came just about right,” he told, reminding her of her sulky mood again. Laying a hand on her arm, he asked her, “What’s wrong?”

She sighed, and her shoulders dropped. “I’m just a little sad that Emily’s leaving.”

Matt hummed in acknowledgment before sliding his arm over her shoulder and pulling her into his side. Pressing a kiss to her head, he rubbed his hand over her upper arm. “That’s what I thought.”

His embrace did wonders, and her body slacked against him as she wrapped her arms around him, snuggling closer to him. Her loneliness vanished instantly, being replaced by a much warmer and cozier feeling.

“How about you find us an episode of Property Brother’s I haven’t watched, and I’ll get the stuff in this bag ready?” He suggested, using his tight grip on her to move them both a little further into the apartment.

She nodded her head against his chest, squeezing him a little tighter before leaning back a bit. “You’re the best, Matt.” Pushing herself onto her tiptoes, she pressed a kiss to his cheek, lingering just a moment too long.

Instead of answering, he placed another kiss onto her forehead, before pushing her gently into the direction of the couch while he placed the paper bag onto the counter.

With one last look at him, Sylvie followed his instructions, getting comfortable on the couch and setting the TV up with a new episode of Property Brothers she hadn’t even watched herself. She resisted the urge to peek over her shoulder to see what Matt was doing, keeping her gaze strictly on the TV.

Luckily, he didn’t keep her waiting for too long, appearing in front of her with two glasses of rosé, placing them on the coffee table before he disappeared just to come back with the bottle and two bowls of ice cream.

“Matt!” Sylvie exclaimed upon seeing the label of the bottle. “Where did you get that? It’s my favorite. I usually have to order it online.”

“I have my ways,” he answered mysteriously as he handed her one of the bowls. “I hope you like mint chocolate chip. I wasn’t sure which flavor you liked, but I guessed it wasn’t anything plain.” He lowered himself down on the couch next to her, their thighs touching.

“It actually ranks pretty high up on my list, but my absolute favorite is lemon cookie from Three Twins. It’s  _ the _ best,” she emphasized, before sadly adding, “Unfortunately, they went out of business, and I had to stock up on it. Now I only eat one spoon at a time when I’m in a particularly bad mood.” She took a spoon of her ice cream, letting it slowly melt on her tongue.

“Well, I’ll happily offer myself as your designated ice cream tester friend,” Matt offered with a smile, bumping his shoulder against hers.

“I didn’t know you had such a sweet tooth,” she teased him with a grin on her face.

“It’s not something many people know about me. So, you better keep my secret, Brett,” he warned her gently as he took a big spoon out of his bowl, grabbing the remote and starting the episode.

For the next few minutes, they finished their ice cream in silence, and when they placed their empty bowls on the table, Matt handed her the glass of rosé.

“Did Emily send you?” Sylvie asked absentmindedly as she took a small sip, closing her eyes at the sweet taste of her favorite wine.

“Would it make a difference?”

She shrugged, pressing her lips together. “You were out at Molly’s with Severide.”

“Maybe but trust me when I say this is much better. I thought Kidd moving in with us would make their relationship more bearable, but I feel like it only intensified their need to constantly… touch,” Matt mumbled as he took a big sip of his wine. “She was working, and we were sitting at the bar, and Sev hardly listened to a word I said.”

Sylvie laughed softly, running her finger carefully over the rim of her glass. “It’s funny to see you so uncomfortable. You should be happy for them.” She moved her legs up the couch and under her, turning sideways towards Matt with her arm resting on the back of the couch. The episode on the TV was long forgotten, and she knew they had to restart it at some point.

“I am happy for them, but they still don’t have to rub it under my nose at every possible time,” Matt rumbled lowly, shaking his head quickly. He curved his neck to look at her, resting one hand on her thigh. “You wanna talk about Foster?”

She slumped in her seat, letting her head fall onto her arm that was lying on the back of the couch. “Not really.” She sighed, closing her eyes for a second. “I know she’s not leaving me. She’s only going back to med school and leaving me at work.”

Matt rubbed his hand up and down her thigh, placing his glass back onto the table. “We’ll find you a new partner at work that fits you, don’t worry. It might take some time, but it will happen.”

Lifting her head back up, she stared at her glass for a second before emptying it in one go. “They’ll just leave again. I can’t seem to make anyone stick with me.”

“That’s not true, and you know it,” he chastised her softly, prying the glass out of her hands and placing it on the coffee table too. “None of your partners left because they couldn’t work with you or didn’t get along with you. They all left for completely different reasons, and the department and everyone else knows that. It’s not your fault.”

“I know, Matt, but I still want somebody to just stick with me,” she pressed out with a long exhale. “I’ll be fine in a little while, but right now, I’m just a little sad to see Emily go. We were good together.”

“Is there anything I can do to make you feel better?” Matt asked her, giving her knee a soft squeeze. “I mean besides the ice cream and the wine. There’s more if you want.”

She shook her head, grabbing his hand on her thigh and locking eyes with him. He looked at her so earnestly, she knew that he would probably fulfill any wish she had.

“Can we cuddle?” She blurted out without thinking, blushing just a second later.

His lips tugged upwards almost instantly, and before she could regret her words, he had his arms wrapped around her, pulling her into his arms. He moved them into a lying position with him lying on his back and her squeezed in between him and the back of the couch. His grip on her was tight, and he pulled her closer to him until there was no space left between them.

She threw her leg over his, and her arm rested on his chest, just like her head. Being wrapped up so tightly by him made breathing just a little easier again, and some of her sadness vanished as she snuggled up to him.

“Should we restart the episode?” Matt suggested, fishing the remote control off the table without ever loosening his hold on her.

She nodded her head against his chest, settling her hand on his chest, enjoying the continuous beating of his heart against her palm. His fingers on her side brushed gently up and down, relaxing her completely, and when he started the episode, she quietly whispered, “Thank you for being here, Matt. I really needed that.”

The captain threw the remote back onto the table, his hand cupping her cheek. He trailed his fingers over her cheekbone as he pressed a kiss to her head. “Always.”

* * *

**June 20th, 2020**

The first thing Sylvie noticed upon waking up was the cozy warmth around her. It wasn’t the usual warm feeling she felt when waking up in her bed, no it was the safe and loving warmth of being wrapped up in another person’s embrace.

Not daring to move, Sylvie peeked one eye open, coming to face with just skin. It took her just a moment longer to remember that Matt had come over last night, and they had watched a couple of episodes of Property Brothers. She also remembered they had laid on the couch in this exact position, meaning that they had probably fallen asleep, which was weird.

At some point last night, she had gotten up to feed Amelia again, which was probably around 11 pm, but when she came back to the living room, Matt hadn’t moved, just smiling at her and she had climbed right back into her position in his arms. But judging from the bright light falling in from the windows now, it was at least seven in the morning, and Amelia never slept that long.

Carefully moving her head just a bit up from where her face was smushed into Matt’s neck, she saw that the baby monitor was missing and the two of them were covered with a blanket which could only mean one thing.

Emily.

Her friend must have thrown the blanket over them and then proceeded to steal the baby monitor when she had come home last night. If Sylvie didn’t know better, she’d say Emily was definitely trying to meddle, but right this second, Sylvie couldn’t care less.

Waking up in Matt’s arms was indescribable, and it was something she could get addicted to very easily. Even now, when Matt hadn’t even woken up yet, she knew that waking up tomorrow alone in her bed would feel terrible. There was just something about being held so tightly by another person that took her breath away.

Their hands were laying intertwined on his chest, just as tangled up as their legs. She had moved up in her sleep, her head no longer resting on his chest, but on his shoulder with her face tugged into the crook of his neck. Her arm that was laying between them was tingling from being squished between them all night, but she still wouldn’t change a thing.

Closing her eyes again, Sylvie let herself enjoy the feeling of having Matt so close. His scent filled her nostrils, and her pulse began to race, butterflies erupting in her stomach. But before she could drift off once more, Emily’s door opened, and Amelia’s shrieks filled the living room.

“All right, folks. Time to wake up. Your baby is all fed and ready for the day, needing a new diaper, but I really have to get ready too, so you need to take her,” Emily’s voice rang through the apartment, and Matt stirred next to her.

Before one of them could react, Emily appeared in front of the couch, depositing Amelia onto Matt’s chest. Out of instinct, their hands separated, and both moved to grab the baby, securing her in her place.

“Don’t mind her and continue to do whatever you were doing,” Emily trilled before disappearing out of their sight again.

Matt groaned softly, nuzzling his nose against her head as he stretched his body under hers. Rubbing his hand up and down her side, he sighed sleepily, mumbling, “Did we fall asleep?”

Sylvie chuckled softly, giving in to the urge to press her lips against the warm skin on his neck. “We did, and we actually slept through the night.”

His grip on her tightened, and she felt him yawn against her head. She knew he wasn’t a morning person, but sleepy Matt was really a sight for sore eyes.

Amelia gurgled happily from her position on Matt’s chest, and Sylvie turned her focus onto her. “Hi, sweets. Did you have cuddles with Auntie Em this morning?” She moved her head onto Matt’s chest too, nuzzling her nose against the baby’s.

Amelia was lying on her back, Matt’s hand holding her tightly in place, so Sylvie let her hand trail to her diaper. It was big and squishy, and when she pulled back, her hand was wet.

“Oh boy, did you have a little accident, lovey? Auntie Em really needs to learn to change your diaper when you get up, huh?” Sylvie cooed at her, pushing herself up from her position. She immediately felt cold, and Matt let out a soft groan too, but she really needed to change Amelia.

Disentangling the rest of her body from Matt’s, she climbed over him, grabbing Amelia out of his hands. It prompted Matt to turn against the back of the couch where she had just been laying seconds ago. His eyes were still closed, and he curled up in his spot.

With a smile on her face, Sylvie went to Amelia’s room to take care of the baby, leaving Matt slumbering some more on the couch. Funnily, he slept for at least 20 minutes more as Sylvie stood in the kitchen, making breakfast, after she had changed Amelia who now sat in her bouncy chair next to her.

Just as the coffee maker pumped the last of the water into the filter, puffing out some mist, Matt sat up with a groan on the couch, reaching for his phone while rubbing his eyes.

His hair was all over the place, sticking into every possible direction, and it made him look even more handsome.

Sylvie leaned against the counter, crossing her arms in front of herself as she mustered him amused. “What did you do yesterday that tired you out so much?”

He glanced over his shoulder, blinking a few times before quickly turning back to his phone. “Nothing special,” he muttered, standing up abruptly the next second. “Fuck, it’s late.”

“Huh? Do you have to be somewhere?” Sylvie asked confused, standing up straight too.

Matt hastily ran his hands over his clothes, trying to smooth out the wrinkles in his t-shirt. “I have an appointment with the guy from the restoration company at the house. I wanna hire them to fix the exterior of the house. They specialize in restoring old brick houses. I’m supposed to meet him in 20 minutes.”

“I’m so sorry, Matt. I didn’t know you had that appointment. I would have woken you up earlier if I had known,” Sylvie apologized, turning around and grabbing a to-go coffee mug. “Your toothbrush is still in my cupboard, and I still have one of your t-shirts. It’s in the upper drawer of my dresser.”

Matt nodded swiftly, throwing his phone carelessly onto the couch before jogging towards her room and disappearing inside.

Sylvie felt a little bad for causing him such trouble, but she honestly hadn’t known about the appointment. Looking around the apartment, she quickly moved around, depositing his keys and wallet on the sideboard by the door and his phone on the kitchen counter.

When she poured the coffee into the to-go mug, Matt rushed out of her room with his new t-shirt on, and he had even managed to smooth down his hair.

“I’m so sorry I let you sleep in. You looked so comfy, and you didn’t seem like you wanted to get up yet,” Sylvie apologized again as she screwed the lid onto the to-go mug.

“Don’t worry. I’ll just be a few minutes late. I forgot myself, and I didn’t exactly plan to come over, let alone stay the night,” he replied sheepishly as he put on his shoes.

“You kept on selecting episodes, and I was more than a little sleepy by the last one,” Sylvie reminded him with a smile on her face as she placed the mug onto the counter. “I’ll see you at the barbeque later?”

Amelia squeaked loudly from her bouncy chair before Matt could reply, and Sylvie reached down to pick her up. “You will come too, sweets. You’re his favorite, anyway.” She held the baby out in front of her, pressing a few kisses to her cheeks before settling her in her arms.

Matt walked over to them, stuffing his phone into his jeans pocket. “Not true. You’re both my favorite.” He stopped in front of them, laying a hand onto Amelia’s back. “Hi, love bug. You look like you had a good night.” He pressed a few kisses to her cheek, nuzzling his nose into her neck.

Sylvie chuckled as Amelia laughed happily, her hands reaching for Matt’s face. When he pulled back though, her laughing stopped, and she looked at him with big eyes.

“We’ll see Matt later, sweets. You’ll get all your cuddles and laughs with him then,” the paramedic whispered to the baby, tickling her side to distract her.

“She’s gonna cry, isn’t she?” Matt groaned in frustration, leaning back down to nuzzle the baby’s neck again.

“Probably, but she’ll be fine once you’re out the door. Don’t worry about it, Matt,” Sylvie replied, letting her hand run through his hair once. “You on the other hand will be really late, if you don’t go now.”

The second Matt pulled back, Amelia’s face scrunched up and she let out an unhappy wail that turned into soft cries just a moment later.

“I hate it when she cries,” Matt muttered as he looked at his watch. “I’m sorry for rushing out now, but I’ll see you later at the barbeque.” He pressed one more kiss to Amelia’s head and one to Sylvie’s cheek before separating from them and heading towards the door.

Amelia was full-on crying by then, big tears running down her face, and Sylvie tried to hush her gently. The baby was so used to Matt by now that she’d got mad when he didn’t give her enough attention.

Sylvie watched as Matt grabbed his keys from the sideboard, stress etched onto his face. He pulled his phone back out of his jeans, typing something before grabbing the handle of the door.

“Matt,” Sylvie called out, grabbing his coffee mug, and walking to the door. “You forgot your coffee.”

He groaned, meeting her halfway to grab it from her. When he stood in front of them, he leaned down to Amelia again, giving her another kiss. “I’ll see you later, love bug. I’ll miss you,” he whispered, running his hand over her back once more before lifting his face to Sylvie’s and pressing his lips against hers.

It was a very brief and chaste kiss, but both of them froze as their lips connected. As soon as it had started, it was over and Matt pulled back, looking dazed. Sylvie could see his brain rattling, and while it was definitely an unplanned first kiss, it still felt perfect to her. It might have been just a tad too short, but it was natural and happened purely out of instinct, just like the rest of their relationship.

Matt still hadn’t comprehended his actions, and without overthinking it, Sylvie slid her hand up his chest and up to his cheek, pulling him back down to her. Their lips connected again, and this time it was her pressing a kiss to his lips that lasted just a second longer. Instead of pulling away, she let her lips hover close to his, hoping to get a reaction out of him.

After a few seconds of silence, he placed his keys and the mug onto the sideboard with a loud clang before his right arm wrapped around her waist and pulled her flush to his body. His other hand cupped her cheek and then he slanted his lips over hers.

The kiss was perfect. Even with Amelia still angrily crying between them, it felt like this was everything she had waited for her entire life. It started out gentle with his soft lips nipping on her bottom lip, but then his tongue was running over the seam of her lips, and she all too willingly granted him entrance. A moan left her throat at the first taste of him, and her knees wobbled.

Matt’s hand on her waist gripped her tighter, supporting more of her weight as he slowed their kiss down again until it was just a tender press of their lips. When they separated, his forehead fell against hers, and he took a deep breath, his hand moving away from her cheek and to Amelia. He plucked her from Sylvie’s arms, settling her against him without moving an inch away from her.

Her eyes were still closed, her mind clouded by his kiss. Her free hand grabbed onto his waist because she didn’t trust her own legs anymore. Not if he kissed her like that.

“I wanted to do that for a very long time,” Matt confessed as Amelia calmed down in his arms. She could feel his breath on her face, and then his lips pressed a faint kiss to the skin under her eye. “Though, I did want to take you out on a date first.”

Taking a deep breath herself, she opened her eyes, gazing up to him. “You can still ask me,” she whispered, her lips tugging upwards.

“Will you go out on a date with me, Sylvie Brett? Just the two of us,” he asked her in a low voice, his eyes locking with hers.

Her smile grew, and she couldn’t help but lean up to him and press another kiss to his lips. “I would love to go out with you.”

A matching grin formed on his face, but before either of them could say or do anything more, Matt’s phone vibrated in his pocket.

“Our timing is not the best,” Matt groaned, leaning back and pressing a kiss to her forehead. “I have to go now, but we will talk about this later. I promise.”

Disappointment spread through her, but she quickly concealed her face. Of course, she’d rather talk with him now, and also probably kiss some more, but she knew he needed to leave. Sighing, she ran her hands up his chest.

“We’ll talk tonight after the barbeque?” She offered with a small smile on her face.

Matt groaned again. “Right, the barbeque.” He let his head fall into his neck while taking a slow, deep breath. “We’ll talk afterwards.”

Sylvie nodded, sliding her hands to Amelia, who was now calmly snuggled against Matt’s shoulder. “Come here, lovey. Matt has to leave now. We’ll cuddle him more later,” she addressed the baby. This time, Amelia came willingly without crying and snuggled herself against Sylvie’s shoulder.

With his hands free, Matt grabbed his keys, wallet and coffee mug, before leaning down and pressing one last kiss to Amelia’s head. As he pulled back, he caught her eyes. “Hey, Sylvie?” He called out to her, waiting until her full focus laid on him, before continuing, “I really want us to work, and I’m really glad we’re finally moving into the right direction.”

A smiled spread over her face again, and she bit her lip at his words. He made her feel like she was fourteen again with her first crush, and her pulse quickened in anticipation of what was to come next.

Keeping that thought in her mind, she gave him a gentle nudge towards the door. “If you don’t leave now, I’m gonna kiss you again, and then I might never let you leave again.”

Matt chuckled. “Can’t say I would mind much.”

“Matt!”

With a smirk on his face, he stole one last kiss from her, sending her one last smile before he walked backwards and disappeared out of the door, leaving her alone with Amelia in her arms and a stomach full of butterflies.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope nobody is disappointed from this kiss. It happened almost as I imagined it, and I only had to twist some parts around it, but to me, it feels perfect! ♥♥


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys!  
> I'm so relieved that you loved the last chapter. I swear it was honestly the one with the most comments I ever got which was super exciting.  
> Now as I mentioned already last week, we're at the end of this story, and after this chapter, there will only be one more. Again, this doesn't mean that I won't write more for this verse because I definitely will, but I do need to take the pressure out of writing it. I've been pressing these last few chapters out, and I myself feel like I'm lacking in the writing department. I know I can do better, and I really wanna do justice to all their firsts, and I feel like that's only gonna happen if I take the pressure off.  
> If you have any other questions, come find me on Tumblr (katie-049) and I'll gladly answer them, pinky promise! :)
> 
> Now to this chapter, don't hate me. We all know she was coming at some point. 
> 
> AND we just reached exactly 70,000 words which is so funny because in my word document it 70,0023 ;)
> 
> Love you guys! ❤❤

**June 20th, 2020 ~ Amelia 12 ½ weeks old**

Sylvie spent the rest of the morning with the biggest smile on her face, and even Emily noticed something was up when she left for the gym. Funnily though, her friend didn’t say anything, and it took everything in Sylvie to not yell it out to her. She didn’t want to keep her budding relationship with Matt a secret, but she wanted to talk to him first, before telling her friends. If she knew one thing for sure, it was that they definitely wanted the same thing.

A few hours later, when Emily and Sylvie had packed everything into Sylvie’s small car–including Amelia–it became even harder to not say something. The excitement to see him again spiraled upwards the closer they got to the beach, to the point, where she shifted around in her seat, gripping the steering wheel tightly in her hands.

“Girl, what’s up with you?” Emily questioned her from the passenger seat. “You’ve been shifty and nervous the whole day.”

Swallowing hard, Sylvie bit her lip. “It’s nothing. I’m just excited for the beach. I haven’t been there yet this year.”

“That’s like the worst lie ever,” Emily replied, and Sylvie could feel her stare from the side. “Are you hiding something from me?”

“Uh, no, I’m not,” Sylvie answered quickly, maybe a little too quickly, and she cursed herself internally for that. She was such a terrible liar.

“You are!” Emily exclaimed, reaching over and hitting Sylvie’s thigh repeatedly. “Does it have to do something with your baby daddy?”

“It has nothing to do with Matt,” the blonde paramedic retaliated, again just a little too quick. Sometimes she couldn’t comprehend how she managed to stay calm and collected during stressful situations at her job but couldn’t stand the pressure of keeping a simple secret.

“Well, if it has nothing to do with him, then maybe it has something to do with me? Are you guys throwing me a surprise party or something? I’d be so unlike you, if you didn’t. No offense, girl,” Emily continued to question her, her hand moving up to Sylvie’s shoulder, giving her a soft nudge.

“Emily, please. I’m not hiding anything from you. Please calm down, you’re gonna wake up Amelia,” Sylvie pleaded with her, trying one last time to get her off her back, but she knew it was pointless. Emily was too relentless for that, and she had literally guessed both of the secret’s Sylvie was supposed to keep. 

“Oh, it is a surprise party! Is it gonna be tonight at Molly’s? I’m gonna keep bugging you until you tell me, Brett, so you better fess up!” Emily warned her, turning her upper body fully towards her, and leaning her back against the side of the car.

“Matt and I kissed this morning,” Sylvie blurted out, staring straight ahead onto the road as she searched for a parking spot. The second the words left her mouth, she felt instant relief. Not only because she had thrown Emily off her surprise party, but because it made the situation with Matt more real.

“Excuse me?” Emily squeaked. Yep, Sylvie had officially thrown her friend off the surprise party path.

A car in front of them pulled out of a parking spot, and Sylvie quickly set her turn signal, slowing down. Pursing her lips, she concentrated on parking the car before she faced her friend again when she had turned off the motor.

Emily was looking at her with raised eyebrows and wide eyes, expectantly shaking her head. “Don’t leave me hanging! I need details.”

Sylvie bit her lip to stop the smile from covering her entire face. “He actually kissed me first. He had an early appointment he forgot about, so he was in a rush, still half-asleep while being super stressed at the same time. Then Amelia started crying because he didn’t have time to cuddle with her, and when he kissed Amelia goodbye, he just pressed his lips against mine.”

“What? An accidental kiss? I guess it’s better than nothing at this point. That man really moves at a slow pace,” Emily muttered lowly, more to herself than to Sylvie. “Well, what happened then? Did the captain get all flustered?”

“He was more confused than anything else, so I kissed him back.” She paused to let a sheepish smile spread over her face. “And it pulled him out of his trance, and then we kissed some more with Amelia crying angrily between us.”

“You two have impeccable timing. I gotta give you that,” Emily noted with a bemused smile. “I assume you haven’t had the chance to talk more yet?”

“No, we’ll talk tonight, but he clarified that he definitely wants to give us a try.” At this point, Sylvie couldn’t stop the joyous laugh that bubbled out of her, and she felt her cheeks starting to hurt.

Emily huffed in amusement, leaning closer to her, and pulling her into a big hug. “I’m so happy for you, Brett. You deserve someone like the captain who’s completely head over heels for you. By the way, that reminds me, I snapped a photo of you two this morning when I got Amelia. You two are just insanely cute.”

“Emily!” Sylvie exclaimed while pulling back. “I’m trying really hard to be mad at you right now, but at the same time I really want you to send me the picture.” She scrunched up her face, shrugging helplessly.

Emily chuckled loudly, holding up her phone. “I got you covered, girl. But I don’t think you’ve got anything to worry about. You’ll be waking up to that sight for a long time.”

Her friend’s words should have scared her or made her feel at least a bit anxious, but they didn’t. Instead, butterflies erupted in her stomach, and she felt hopeful for their future.

* * *

With Emily’s thoughts successfully distracted by the news about Sylvie and Matt’s budding relationship, she didn’t see the barbeque surprise party coming from a mile away. Even when they were just a few feet away from their friends, it took Stella calling out her name for the paramedic to notice. And with a quick promise to not say anything about Matt to anyone, including him, Emily was off, mingling with the rest of their friends.

Stella, who had organized the barbeque, had really gone out of her way. Apart from everyone at 51, including their families, Sylvie also spied a few colleagues from Med and the 21st district lingering on the side. They were quite the crowd, and Sylvie figured that she wouldn’t be able to talk much with Matt, but her eyes still scanned the mass of people for him.

It took her a while to spot him, but when she finally did, her face lit up. He must have observed her from afar as their eyes met immediately, and he sent her a small smile that made her belly flutter. He was talking to Kelly, Will, and Jay, and all three men had a beer in their hands. Instead of jeans, he was wearing a pair of swim trunks, and suddenly, she was picturing him shirtless.

A blush formed on her cheeks, and before she could give more thought to him, she was greeted by Cindy and Annabelle who wanted to meet Amelia. Sylvie had almost forgotten that their extended family hadn’t met her yet, and it then dawned on her that there was no chance she’d get a free minute with Matt at any point of the afternoon.

And her assumption turned out to be true. Right after Cindy and Annabelle helped her set up the beach tent for Amelia, Donna joined them. The two older women asked her a million questions about the baby, sharing some tips and tricks they had picked up after having their own children. It was nice, and Sylvie made a mental note to meet up with them more often. She enjoyed their company, especially because they knew firsthand that motherhood could sometimes be exhausting and nerve-wracking, even if it was worth it every one of those times.

Annabelle was sitting next to Amelia in the small, open tent, playing calmly with the baby with the biggest smile on her face. Cindy told her quickly that her daughter was having a baby phase, talking nonstop about them, and scaring the crap out of Herrmann, who immediately feared that she would end up pregnant before she turned 18. It caused all three women to share a few minutes of laughter, and Sylvie could picture her colleague going nuts about it to his wife.

After a little while Cindy, Donna, and Annabelle traded places with Hailey, Kim, and their newest recruit, Vanessa, who brought her food in exchange to meet the smallest and cutest party guest. Kim spent a while with Amelia, silently marveling at all the tiny parts of her body and cuddling with Amelia, who was luckily in quite the good mood. Sylvie had heard about what happened to the young woman, and she was glad Amelia could give her some happy moments after her awful experience.

Almost two-and-a-half hours later, Emily and Stella appeared in front of her with their hands on their hips, interrupting her conversation with Hailey and making her look up to them.

“We’re gonna go swimming now, and you’re coming with us!” Stella announced, bending down to pick up Amelia. The baby was wearing a light pink swimsuit with little bows on it and a few ruffles on the side. It looked super cute and had everyone cooing at her even more than usual.

“And it’s time this little one dips her toes into the water for the first time,” the firefighter added, situating Amelia in her arms. “Are you ready for some fun, little one?” The dark-haired woman addressed the baby, pressing a kiss to her chubby cheeks.

Sylvie chuckled softly, standing up and taking off her sundress in one swift move. She had put on a light pink bikini that had matching ruffles on the bottom and a bow on the top part. She might have bought the two swimsuits together in hope of not too obviously matching with her baby, but they did look pretty similar. They were part of a ‘Mommy and me’ set after all.

“You’re welcome to join us,” Sylvie directed at the three women remaining in the tent, but they all declined, claiming to get some more drinks first.

Grabbing her phone and taking Amelia from Stella, the girls made their way towards the water. At first, they stayed in the shallow part with Sylvie holding Amelia’s feet in the water to gauge her reaction. Amelia usually loved baths, but the water of the lake was a lot cooler and it resulted in some splashing on Amelia’s side. Emily was snapping pictures of the whole scenario, cooing at the baby to make her look into the camera.

“Look who's coming our way,” Stella piped up from where she was sitting in the water just a few feet away from them. “I wondered how long it would take him to come here.”

Sylvie’s head turned to the side to find Matt and Kelly, both shirtless, walking over to them. Her belly flopped at the image, and she quickly moved her focus back onto Amelia, who was still kicking her legs. 

“Maybe he’s in desperate need of some more kisses,” Stella teased her, throwing her a kiss.

“Emily!” Sylvie exclaimed furiously.

“What? I didn’t tell her anything. She figured it out all by herself,” her friend defended herself, lifting her hands in surrender.

“Kelly took one look at him at lunch to know something was up. He had the silliest smile plastered over his face, and we both knew exactly what happened. I guess first, and while Casey didn’t technically confirm, it was written all over his face,” Stella explained, standing up and walking closer to her two friends. “I’m happy you two are finally figuring this out. It’s about damn time!”

Before Sylvie could answer, the two men arrived in front of them, and Sylvie’s gaze was pulled back to Matt. His eyes moved up and down her body appreciatively as she lifted Amelia out of the water and straightened up. It made her squirm slightly, realizing that she’s never been this exposed in front of him, but then again, she couldn’t help but let her own gaze linger on his bare chest. A blush formed on her face, and she shifted nervously on her feet. 

“Hey, there,” he whispered softly as he stopped in front of her, his hand coming to rest on Amelia’s back just like this morning. He leaned down to press a kiss to the baby’s cheek, nuzzling his nose into her neck.

A rush of warmth flooded through her at his close proximity, and she felt her knees begin to wobble. Blindly reaching out, she caught his lower arm, grabbing onto it while he cupped her elbow.

“You know I don’t think anyone’s looking,” Emily chimed in from the side in a sing-song voice. “You could definitely plant one on her, Captain!”

“Emily!” Sylvie desperately hissed from the side, but then Matt pressed a lingering kiss to the corner of her lips, silencing her in the process. Her grip on his arm tightened and a wave of dizziness spread through her body as Matt moved back again.

“Too many people around, Foster. Besides, there’s a kid around,” Matt addressed her friend in a neutral tone, snagging Amelia out of Sylvie’s arms.

“Didn’t seem to bother you much this morning,” the dark-haired paramedic shot back with a smirk, and Sylvie silently hoped for a hole in the floor to swallow her up.

“Keep in mind that you still have one more shift under me, Foster,” Matt cautioned her, before turning his focus onto Amelia. “Hi, love bug. Did you have a good day with Mommy?” He nuzzled her neck again, earning himself a few laughs from the baby.

It melted Sylvie’s heart to see the two of them interact so happily and lovingly with one another. It made her look forward to the future with both Amelia and Matt. Knowing that Matt loved her baby so deeply already excited her for all the firsts they would experience with Amelia together.

“I think we had a fun morning, right sweets?” She rested her hand on Amelia’s back, brushing Matt’s fingers on the way. “But we missed you.” She looked up to Matt through her lashes, a small smile forming on her face.

“I missed you too. I hated leaving so abruptly this morning,” he confessed, catching her fingers under his on Amelia’s back. “We’re still on for tonight though, right?”

“Absolutely.” She locked eyes with him, drifting closer to him without realizing it. God, she just needed to be closer to him.

“Alright, you two! Let’s take a photo with the three of you, and then us girls will finally cool down a bit more. Some of us certainly need to,” Stella’s voice rang through the air, breaking Matt and Sylvie apart.

It was Matt who looped his arm around Sylvie’s waist in the next second, his hand coming to rest on the naked skin of her hip. With her bare body pressed so close to his, her brain short-circuited while her heart hammered against her ribcage. She couldn’t form a clear thought, and she admired that Matt was still so collected and calm next to her. Especially with them pressed so closely together.

It took another encouraging yell from Stella and Emily for Sylvie to rest her hand on Matt’s chest while her own arm snagged around his back. She couldn’t help but rest her head against his shoulder, and when he pinched her hip gently, a smile spread over her face.

Looking towards Emily and into the camera, she savored the small moment with Matt, giddy at the thought of having it captured on her phone. She briefly glanced up to him, catching his eyes, watching as his smile spread all the way up to his eyes. It was beautiful, and she had to resist the urge to raise herself up to him and press a kiss to his lips. Especially after knowing how good of a kisser he really was.

“Alright, boys. Time to go now. Take the baby and the phone with you,” Stella instructed them as she peaked Kelly’s lips briefly.

“We actually wanted to cool down too,” Severide protested, but one look from Stella shut him down. “But we could also be on baby duty, I guess,” he offered, earning himself another kiss from his girlfriend.

Sylvie hadn’t even noticed the lieutenant fully, blushing as she caught him smirking at her. He seemed genuinely happy for them though, giving her an approving nod.

Matt squeezed her hip once more before he let go of her. “Have fun.”

“Are you gonna be OK with Amelia? I can come back with you and take her,” Sylvie asked him, finally emerging from her love-struck bubble. “She’s probably gonna be hungry soon, and she might also wanna nap again.”

Matt tilted his head to the side, leveling her with a pointed look. “Then I’ll feed her and get her to sleep. This is not the first time I’m taking care of her, Sylvie.”

Taking a calming breath, the blonde paramedic relaxed, nodding her head. “I just don’t wanna put you out. You seemed like you were having fun.”

“I can still have fun with Amelia in my arms. I don’t mind. You, on the other hand, can’t swim with her, so enjoy some baby-free time,” he reminded her, holding her gaze steadily.

Her heart exploded at his thoughtfulness, and she felt like the luckiest woman on earth. “You’re wonderful, Matt. I can’t wait until later tonight.”

“Me neither,” he breathed as he walked backwards and away from her. “Oh, and by the way, I love this look on you.” A grin spread over his face, and as he passed Emily, he collected Sylvie’s phone before turning around and walking away with Severide.

Sylvie was sure she just turned all shades of red at his comment, quickly wandering deeper into the cool water. How was she supposed to survive the rest of the afternoon?

* * *

The cooling temperature of the water was exactly what Sylvie needed to gather her thoughts and to push her excitement about her talk with Matt a little further down. She really wanted to enjoy the rest of the afternoon with her friends. Emily deserved to have her full attention; besides, it was nice to hang out with her two best friends alone for a little while. It was something she had craved just the day before.

They swam around for a while until they got too lazy and proceeded to just float in the water on their backs. After half an hour, they decided to head back to the party as the water was still pretty cold, and even with the warm weather, they all felt chilly.

As they got closer to their group of friends, Sylvie’s eyes scanned the crowd for Matt for the second time this day. Mainly, because he had Amelia, but maybe a part of her also craved to see him again, which was ridiculous. She had just seen him half an hour ago, but that seemed too long ago already.

Seconds later, a part of her wished she hadn’t looked for him as she stopped dead in her tracks. The day had started great, maybe a little too perfect even, and now everything was blowing up in her face. It honestly seemed like a cruel prank to her, with everything finally falling into place for Matt.

“Stella,” she mumbled weakly, reaching out to catch her friend’s arm, gripping it tightly.

“What’s wrong? Are you hurt?” The firefighter asked, her voice laced with concern and confusion.

Sylvie could feel her gaze on her, but she couldn’t tear her eyes away from the sight in front of her. Instead, she just shook her head limply, swallowing hard.

Her two friends followed her gaze, both of them taking a sharp breath once they found the cause for Sylvie’s discomfort.

“I did not see that coming,” Stella flattered.

“Hell, no! She was not invited to this party! I don’t even know her!” Emily growled lowly, ready to stomp off and clear the situation. “I’m gonna tell her to leave right now!”

“Em, stop.” Stella held their friend back, reaching out to clutch her arm too, positioning her and herself in Sylvie’s line of sight. “How do you wanna go about this?” The dark-haired woman asked Sylvie, finally snapping her out of her stare.

“I don’t know. I… What did I do?” She questioned the two women in front of her weakly with wide eyes.

She felt terrible because next to Matt stood her ex-best friend, Gabby Dawson, who also happened to be Matt’s ex-wife. Her worst nightmare was just playing out in front of her, and she didn’t have a clue how to handle this situation. Matt and Gabby were talking, and the captain had a smile on his face, laughing at whatever wondrous story Gabby was telling. He had put on a shirt again, and Amelia was sleeping against his shoulder, and the two of them were really a sight for sore eyes, except they were not.

“Girl, you did nothing wrong. They got divorced almost two years ago, and you didn’t exactly chase after him. You can’t help who you love, Brett,” Stella assured her, her hand rubbing up and down her arm. “And they’re just talking. That doesn’t have to mean anything. Casey’s a solid guy. He wouldn’t do that to you.”

Sylvie’s eyes snapped to Stella, searching her friend’s face for any lies or half-truths, but she couldn’t find any. Deep down, she knew the other woman was right about her assumption of Matt, but a tiny voice inside of her still screamed at her to not kid herself. She would never measure up to the awesomeness of one Gabriela Dawson.

“Stella’s right,” Emily added, laying her hand onto Sylvie’s other arm. “Casey’s a decent guy. He’s heads over heels for you. And if he ever hurts you, I’ll skin him alive.”

A soft laugh left Sylvie’s lips at her friend’s words, and she took a deep breath, trying to shut down her screaming mind. She had to trust Matt because trust was one of the most important things for her in a relationship. If she couldn’t trust him now, how was she supposed to in their future?

“I got this,” she mumbled more to herself than to her friends, and together with more encouraging whispers from her friends, she started to walk again.

Of course, Matt and Gabby were standing right in front of the little beach tent, where all her things, including her towel and sundress, were stored. She literally couldn’t escape this situation, and a few feet before she reached them, she signaled Emily and Stella that she needed to do this alone. The three of them parted their ways, and just a second later, Matt spotted her, sending her a soft smile. Well, at least he didn’t seem to be uncomfortable with the situation.

Gabby’s head turned towards her too, and a blinding smile covered her face, and then she pulled her in for a hug, crushing her against her body. It was just a tad awkward with her wet bikini between them, but the other woman didn’t seem to care one bit.

“Brett, it’s so good to see you,” Gabby greeted her, pulling back. “Girl, you look great for someone with a three-month-old baby.”

Sylvie chuckled nervously, turning to grab her towel, but Matt was already handing it to her, placing it loosely over her right shoulder. Why did he always have to be so attentive and perfect?

Wrapping the towel tightly around her, she focused all her attention onto her old friend to not let herself get distracted by Matt more than necessary. “Well, I technically didn’t have her. She’s my half-sister.”

“Yeah, I know. Matt told me about that. I’m really sorry for your loss,” she offered genuinely, reaching out to squeeze her arm briefly. “She’s lucky to have such an awesome big sister.”

The reminder of Julie’s death made a wave of sadness flush through her, and she swallowed hard, stepping closer to Matt, and trailing her fingers over Amelia’s arm that was lying on Matt’s shoulder.

“She’s my everything now. It’s crazy how your world turns upside down when you become a mother. I feel like I’m doing everything in my life for her now. To make sure she grows up happy and loved,” the paramedic breathed, keeping her eyes on her sleeping daughter.

“Sylvie’s doing a great job with her,” Matt chimed in, and Sylvie glanced up to him.

He was looking at her softly with his special smile on his face that he seemed to reserve for just her and Amelia. It made her heart beat faster, and with Gabby standing next to them, it also made her just a bit uncomfortable.

Clearing her throat, she turned back to Gabby. “How are things with you? What brings you to town this time?”

“Things are great. I’m actually here for another fundraiser, and I was just trying to convince Matt here to go with me again,” the Latina woman explained, squeezing her eyes together while eyeing Matt.

Talk about having a big déjà vu. It was just like last time, and Sylvie prayed that Matt wouldn’t ask her for her opinion again. This just kept getting worse by the second, and Sylvie felt like someone rammed a knife into her heart repeatedly.

“And I was just telling her I won’t be able to join her, and she has to find someone else this time,” Matt continued for her, moving to stand closer to Sylvie, their shoulders bumping.

“Don’t blame me for trying. We had a good time at the last fundraiser,” Gabby reminded him, before huffing softly. “But I will accept if you don’t wanna go with me this time. You sound like you’ve got somewhere else to be.”

Gabby’s eyes moved to her, studying her carefully and with interest, but her gaze thankfully held no heat, and Sylvie took a deep steadying breath. Her old friend’s reaction confused her, and it almost seemed like she knew about Matt and her.

“Well, I’m gonna go and say hi to Stella and a few others. I’ll be in town for a few more days, so maybe we could do lunch. Let me know whenever you’re free,” Gabby interrupted her train of thoughts.

Sylvie wasn’t entirely sure to whom she directed the question, but before she could think about it anymore, Gabby disappeared out of her line of sight, and then Matt’s arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her closer to him.

“Are you OK?” He whispered, turning them so he was shielding her from most of their friends.

She stiffened at his touch, but at the same time, his gentle voice calmed her racing mind. Reaching one of her hands out from her towel, she placed it on his chest, peeking up to him, and changing his question, “Are we OK?”

He tightened their embrace until her front was pressed to his. “We’re more than OK. Nothing has changed, and I still can’t wait to talk more later,” he promised her.

Relief washed through her body, and she let her head fall to his chest, taking in a deep breath. She literally didn’t care who saw them standing this close, because she just needed to feel his assuring touch for a moment longer.

Matt pressed a kiss to her head, resting his cheek against it, and for a few minutes, they embraced each other in front of all their friends, not caring about anyone’s opinion about them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> P. S. I might write the conversation between Gabby and Matt in a later one shot, but for now, you'll just have to wait until next week to hear more about it from Matt's point of view :)


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, guys, this is it. Part of me can't believe this story is done, maybe because it's not over in my head. There are so many more adventures for our favorite trio, and you'll hear from them again soon! I just need a little break. I won't disappear from the face of the earth, don't worry! 
> 
> Thank you for all your support. I loved hearing from all of you!  
> Love you guys! ♥♥♥

**June 20th, 2020 ~ Amelia 12 ½ weeks old**

The entire day had been surreal, if Matt was honest. It started out perfect because waking up with Sylvie in his arms was the best way to start any day. Even though he hadn’t really registered it this morning as he had been too stressed, he had come to appreciate it as the day had progressed.

And his stressed and sleepy state had made him slip up big time, which had resulted in him kissing Sylvie, something he would never regret. Their entire interaction this morning had been completely domesticated, and it had felt like they had done this for a long time already. The way she had gently urged him to get ready while she had made him coffee and collected his things almost felt like they had been married for years.

Adding Amelia to the mix who had been demanding his attention and love, had caused his mind to overload and then it had just happened. And while it wasn’t how he had planned their first kiss to be, it had been more than perfect. It had been natural, and it had happened out of instinct just like the rest of their relationship.

Leaving his two favorite women had been even harder after that, but he had an appointment at the house, and getting it ready until the end of the year had just become that much more important.

He had spent the rest of his morning counting down the minutes until he would be able to see Sylvie again, and time had seemed to slow down. Severide and Kidd had seen right through him at lunch, but he couldn’t have cared less.

Even the afternoon started great, until Gabby had suddenly stood in front of him. She had been the last person he had expected to meet today and more importantly, wanted to meet. Their conversation had been awkward at first, as Amelia had been sleeping against his shoulder, and Gabby had just been a little too pushy and forward with her questions. The more she had asked, however, the more comfortable Matt had gotten though. It had reminded him of his life now, and how happy he truly was. Not even his ex-wife Gabby Dawson could change that.

When Sylvie had joined them a while later, things had turned uncomfortable for a long minute or two, but thankfully Gabby had also taken it as her cue to leave them be. It had allowed him to focus completely on the blonde paramedic again, giving him the time to assure her they were still OK, and Gabby’s sudden appearance hadn’t changed a thing between them. It had also caused him to never stray more than a few feet away from her for the rest of the day, and when they hadn’t talked to the same group of people, he had always positioned himself in her line of sight, sending her small nods or smiles.

It was how he noticed her packing her things now. He grabbed his phone out of his pocket, seeing that it was already past 7:30 pm. It was close to Amelia’s bedtime, and as he looked over to Sylvie again, he saw her bounce around in her spot with Amelia strapped to her chest in the baby carrier.

It prompted him to leave his conversation with Severide and Jay Halstead without excusing himself, which might have been a little rude, but he was pulled to the blonde and the baby. The closer he got, the louder he could hear Amelia’s unhappy grumbling. She even threw in a few angry little cries, letting them know she was definitely ready to settle in for the night.

Before he even reached her, his hand stretched out towards her, landing on her back once he stood next to her. She startled at his touch, but her muscles relaxed when she recognized him.

“You wanna head out?” He asked, guiding her away from the beach tent to disassemble it. She had her hands full with Amelia, and while he had no doubt, she could manage to take down the tent and keep Amelia calm, she didn’t have to.

Sylvie sent him a smile, meeting his eyes as she stepped to the side. “Yeah, Amelia’s ready for bed, and she still needs a bath. If I don’t go now, it’s gonna end in one of her screaming fits.” Her hands reached out to stroke over Amelia’s head, and she leaned down to press a kiss against her hair.

Matt nodded his head in agreement as he took out the tent pegs. “I think everybody’s heading over to Molly’s now, anyway. I assume Emily’s not coming home with you?”

“No, she’s gonna hitch a ride with Stella over to Molly’s, and then she’ll probably take an Uber later,” Sylvie confirmed his assumption, before falling silent.

He could feel her gaze on him as he collapsed the tent with ease, and just a second later she asked, “Do you wanna go to Molly’s?”

He stopped his movements, looking up over his shoulder towards her in confusion. “No, I think we have different plans for tonight. But I will have to help Severide load up a few things here, so you might wanna leave without me. I’ll come over as soon as I’m finished up here.”

Maybe Gabby’s sudden appearance had gotten to her more than he anticipated, and it irritated him. She wasn’t normally someone to be insecure, and he hoped he hadn’t given her a reason that caused this sudden wave of insecurity. Her behavior just showed him the urgent need for their talk.

She held his gaze, biting her lip. “It’d be alright if you wanted to go to Molly’s first. You could still come over later.”

Matt huffed softly, standing up from his spot on the ground and grabbing her hip. “I’ve waited all day to be alone with you again, and I think I’m about done now. If I could come with you right now, I would.” He pressed a kiss to Amelia’s head and then one to her forehead. “Go home and take care of Amelia. I’ll bring all this stuff with me, and I promise you I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

She studied his face for a few seconds, before she squeezed his arm softly, whispering, “Thanks, Matt.” Her lips ticked upwards, and he counted it as a win.

With one last smile of his own, he pushed her gently away from him, watching as she shouldered Amelia’s diaper bag and started to walk towards the parking lot. He was tempted to keep watching her until she was out of sight, but he knew the sooner he would finish up here, the sooner he would be able to see her again.

Reluctantly, he turned back to the collapsed beach tent and kneeled down to store it into the bag.

* * *

Sylvie silently cursed herself for not keeping an eye on the time at the barbeque. She hadn’t anticipated that the party would last quite that long to begin with, but it really wasn’t an excuse. The afternoon had been eventful, but now wasn’t the time to muse about it.

By the time she had reached the apartment, Amelia was full-on crying. She was tired and hungry and about done with the day. Sylvie couldn’t blame her, but it didn’t change the fact that she had needed a bath. Between the sand and all the sunscreen Sylvie had put on her earlier, her skin had been sticky, and the paramedic really hadn’t wanted to let her sleep like that.

While the warm water had soothed the baby in the beginning, the calmness had only lasted for about two minutes before Amelia had started to scream again, kicking her legs in the water. Soon, half of the water had been splashed out of the baby bathtub, landing either on the floor or on Sylvie, soaking through her sundress.

The last weeks had taught Sylvie a lot though, so she had stayed calm, talking to Amelia in a soft voice or humming her favorite tune, while finishing her bath, putting lotion on her, and dressing her in her pajamas and sleep sack. By the time she bounced around the living room with her, waiting for the bottle of milk to heat up, a knock echoed through her apartment.

Not even an hour had passed since she had left the beach, meaning that Matt had indeed hurried up with helping Severide. When she opened the door, she was greeted with the same smile she had left him with. The sight of him in front of her door made her breathe just a bit easier after the afternoon they had.

“You two look like you had fun without me,” he mused, stepping inside and putting one of her bags she had left at the beach and the bag with the beach tent down by the door. “Let me wash my hands, and then I can help you with whatever you need.”

“We had fun alright,” Sylvie noted drily, closing the door behind him. “She was not amused as I bathed her. The bathroom’s a mess.”

Matt chuckled softly, taking off his shoes and walking into the kitchen and to the sink. “I can take her in a second, and you can clean up or shower or whatever you wanna do,” he offered while washing his hands.

“That’d be great. Her bottle is warmed up too, so you just need to feed her, and she’ll probably fall asleep,” Sylvie instructed him as she took the bottle out of the heater. “I’ll be quick, I promise. I just need to get out of these wet clothes and wash the sand off me.”

Matt dried his hand on a towel, before throwing it to the side and crossing the distance between them. He reached his hand out towards Amelia, letting it rub over her back a few times. The baby didn’t register him, continuing to cry angrily, so he plugged her from Sylvie’s arms, skillfully cradling her against his chest, until she was pressed tightly to him.

Sylvie’s hand followed her, smoothing over her warm head a few times. Leaning forward, she pressed her lips to her head, whispering, “You’re all right, sweets. Matt will feed you now, and then you can go to sleep.” Wiping a few tears off her red cheek, she added, “Sleep tight, lovey. Mommy loves you.”

Reluctantly, she pulled back and gave Matt’s arm a soft squeeze. “I’ll be right back.”

* * *

Not even ten minutes later, Sylvie walked back into the living room, freshly showered with a t-shirt and yoga pants on, her feet bare. It had probably been the fastest shower she had taken in her life as she was eager to get back to Matt and Amelia.

They were sitting on the couch with Amelia still cradled close to Matt’s chest while she sucked on her bottle that was almost empty. Her eyes were closed, and Sylvie tiptoed over to them, sitting down next to Matt who had his feet up on the coffee table.

“She’s out like a light,” he greeted her with pride in his voice as he turned his head towards her with a smile on his face. He looked happy with himself, and it was definitely a good look on him; one that she could easily get used to.

Sylvie chuckled softly, watching as the bottle fell out of Amelia’s mouth. She grabbed it from Matt, placing it on the coffee table, and grabbed the burping cloth. Leaning back, she scooted closer to them, pulling her legs onto the couch and resting them against Matt’s thighs.

“Do I need to burp her?” Matt asked as he grabbed the cloth from her and gently wiped it across Amelia’s mouth to get the spilled milk.

“She doesn’t usually burp when she falls asleep as she’s drinking slower. Just move her to your shoulder, and if she needs to, she’ll spit up on her own,” Sylvie answered, helping him adjust the cloth against his shoulder while he moved Amelia carefully up.

After a few minutes of gentle rubbing and patting, Matt gave up on getting a burp out of her, sliding down a little lower onto the couch and lifting his arm over Sylvie’s shoulder, who gladly took his invitation.

Snuggling closer to him, her hand came to rest on his chest, and she let her head fall into her neck as he wrapped his arm securely around her waist. Gazing up to him, she studied his face for a moment.

“Hi,” she breathed while a smile formed on her face.

“Hi,” he repeated as his lips tugged up too.

His eyes dropped to her mouth, and her smile morphed into a grin. Her hand wandered up his chest and to his neck, cupping his cheek gently before pulling his lips down to hers. It was a soft kiss, just the press of their lips against each other, but it still felt great.

When they parted again, Matt’s lips moved to her forehead, pressing another kiss onto her skin there. “I don’t think I’ll ever get used to this.”

“It is something you should get used to though. I plan on kissing you quite a bit in the future,” Sylvie teased him as her lips ghosted over his neck. “And I really like kissing you.”

“Is that so?” Matt questioned her with a raised eyebrow, his eyes locking with hers. “Maybe I just need some more convincing.”

“Oh, that can be arranged.”

At that point, she was grinning so hard that her cheeks started to hurt, and when she connected her lips back to Matt’s, his lips connected with her teeth before she pulled his bottom lip between hers.

She knew that Matt was partially right because kissing him would never get old for her either. Being so close to him and connecting with him in one of the most intimate ways made her entire body tingle, and her body temperature rise. Her heart was hammering against his chest, and when Matt’s grip on her tightened, and his tongue traced along her bottom lip, she eagerly opened her mouth for him.

Instead of hungrily exploring her mouth, he slowed their kiss while taking his sweet time to trail his tongue along hers, pulling a breathy moan from her. Out of instinct, she tried to push closer, her leg swinging over his lap, but she couldn’t get nearly as close as she wanted, coming into contact with her daughter. And that put some things into perspective, at least for her, as Matt was still thoroughly running his tongue across the inside of her mouth.

Moving both of her hands to his cheeks, she framed his face, forcing him to slow their kiss until their lips disconnected. His eyes were still half-closed when she looked at him, his mouth hanging open and his lips bright red.

“Let me bring Amelia to her room, and then we should talk some more before we get back to this,” she told him gently, pressing one last kiss against his lips. She then got up and scooped Amelia from him, lowering her against her own shoulder, before smiling at his still slightly dazed expression. “I’ll be right back.”

It only took her a few minutes to put Amelia down and go back to the living room, but it had been enough for Matt to get up from the couch and move into the kitchen area where he was cleaning Amelia’s bottle.

“You didn’t have to do that. I could have cleaned that up later,” Sylvie said in a soft voice as she came to a stop in the small kitchen area, leaning against the counter opposite of Matt.

He glanced over his shoulder, mustering her for a second before turning back to the sink. “It’s nothing. I don’t mind. I like helping you.”

She kept quiet, not entirely sure what to say or how to start their talk. Instead, she watched as Matt rinsed the bottle with water, before hanging it on the rack next to the sink. He then slowly dried his hands on the dishtowel hanging on the oven, turning back to her.

“Is that something you don’t want me to do?” He leaned his back against the counter behind him, standing opposite of her.

“No, I’m so grateful for your help. It takes the pressure of a lot of things, and sometimes I don’t know what I would do without you,” Sylvie quickly corrected him, crossing her arms in front of her, hanging her head. “I just don’t want you to feel as if you have to do all this stuff for me. Selfishly though, it makes me feel like I’m less alone, especially in raising Amelia.”

“I know I don’t have to help you with anything, Sylvie. You’re one of the strongest women I know, and there is no doubt in my mind that you would be able to swing this single mom life all on your own,” he clarified, pushing himself off the counter. As he crossed the distance between them, his hand came to rest on her upper arms. “But I like being there for you and helping you with whatever you need. It makes me feel like I’m a part of your and Amelia’s life. The way you share all those ups and downs with me, shows me how much trust you put into me every single day, and that makes me feel special and appreciated.”

Her head snapped up at his words, and she searched for his eyes. “I don’t think I’ve ever trusted anyone more in my life, Matt. If I died tomorrow, I would have no doubt in my mind that Amelia would still grow up loved and in the exact same way I hope she would. All because she has you.”

Matt huffed softly, moving his hands to her neck, and holding her head in place, while he locked eyes with her. “Let’s agree that none of us will die in the near future. I don’t accept any deaths apart from dying of old age about 40 to 50 years down the road. Got it?”

A smile formed on her lips, and Sylvie uncrossed her arms, placing her hands onto his lower arms. “I like that idea, but that also means no reckless behavior from your side, Mister.”

He threw his head back, pressing his lips together, his chin wrinkling. “I’ll try my best.”

She knew he was trying to lighten up the mood, but for her, it felt more serious. Her feelings for him were so deep already, and she knew they would only intensify now that they were actually together. The thought of him not going home with her scared the heck out of her.

Her grip on him tightened, and she pulled his attention back to her. “I mean it, Matt. You have someone waiting for you at home now. And I’m not only talking about Amelia. I know things between us just changed today, but I can’t bear the thought of not having you with me.”

“Things between us changed a long time ago, Sylvie,” Matt mumbled, and his hands wandered from her arms to her back, trailing to her lower back where they came to a stop. With one swift move, he tugged her body flush against his, her own hands falling to his chest. “We’re doing all of this out of order, which goes against everything I had planned, but I want you to know that my feelings for you changed long before you adopted Amelia. I might have not been completely honest with myself back then, but I can tell you with absolute certainty now that I’m madly in love with you, Sylvie Brett, and nothing will change that.”

“You are?” She squeaked, her heart hammering against her chest.

“I am,” he confessed, resting his forehead against hers. “And I know it’s soon, and you don’t have to say anything right now, but I’ve been carrying this with me for a while, and I’m s—"

“Matt Casey! Don’t you dare apologize while proclaiming your love for me!” Sylvie interrupted him harshly, swatting her hands angrily against his chest. “It might have taken me longer to realize, but I’m in love with you too, so you have absolutely nothing to apologize for. Seriously, what is it with you and apologizing for things that don’t need an apology?”

“It’s a force of habit,” Matt shrugged helplessly. “It’s easier to ask for forgiveness than to argue about pointless things.”

Sylvie’s hands wandered to Matt’s face and rested on his cheeks again, her thumbs trailing softly over his cheekbones. “I don’t wanna do either with you. We’re both adults and we should be able to communicate with each other as such. That means you tell me if something’s bothering you, and there will be no judgment. And I promise I will do the same.”

The captain turned his head into her palm, smoothing a kiss to her hand. “How much did Gabby’s appearance bother you this afternoon?”

Apparently, he had realized her shiftiness this afternoon, and he was taking her words very seriously. Sighing, she dropped her hands back to his chest, rubbing them up and down in slow movements. Her fingertips just briefly tipped over his shoulder before she smoothed her hands down again.

“I am feeling a little guilty, given our connection. She’s your ex-wife, and she used to be my best friend. You gotta admit that our situation is a little unusual,” Sylvie admitted, biting her lip. “Stella and Emily keep telling me that I can’t control who I love, and it feels right and good when we are together, but yeah, there is some lingering guilt there.”

Matt shifted in their embrace, one of his arms sneaking up to her cheek, cupping it gently. “I hear what you’re saying, and maybe it helps if I tell you I did talk to her earlier. I told her I wouldn’t go to her charity ball with her because I had someone else in my life now. I told her I moved on, and that I hoped she would do the same. We had our chance, and it didn’t work out. I was about to tell her it was you, but then you came over. I think she already knew, but she found me again after you left with Amelia.” He paused, huffing softly, and Sylvie’s heart started to beat faster. “She wished us luck and told me to be good to you. She also warned me about hurting you, and she wasn’t the first one to say that. Why do I get the feeling that all our friends would cause me physical pain, if I ever hurt you? Not that I’m planning to.”

A giggle escaped her lips at his irritated face, and she slid her arms around his torso and snuggled closer to his chest. “I’m glad we’re talking about this, Matt. It makes me feel a lot better. Specifically, knowing that there is no bad blood between Gabby and us.”

Matt laid a kiss on her head, resting his cheek on the spot a second later. “By the way, Gabby also told me to extend her offer to lunch to you again. She did mean you and not me.”

Nodding her head against his chest, she closed her eyes. “I might text her tomorrow. It sounds like I’m gonna have a full week.”

“But hopefully not too full to squeeze in a date with your boyfriend?”

A smile spread over her face, and she leaned back, catching his eyes. “Well, if this is my boyfriend’s way of asking for a date, I don’t think I could say no.”

“Technically, I did ask you this morning, but I will ask you over and over again, as long as it will happen. Preferably this week.”

“And he’s already making demands,” she chuckled, brushing her lips against his in a soft kiss. “Let me check with Emily. I’m sure she would love to babysit Amelia for the sake of some alone time for us. I swear she’s been our biggest supporter. She’s been secretly snapping pictures of us.”

Matt raised his eyebrows, a hint of amusement dancing over his face. “Did she? Care to share with me?”

“I might be persuaded,” Sylvie mused, pushing herself onto her tiptoes to connect their lips back together. She could feel Matt’s smile against her lips as he pulled her tightly against his body, and her belly did somersaults, knowing that he was feeling just as elated as she was.

* * *

**June 20th, 2020**

The next morning, Matt stood in front of Sylvie’s apartment complex, dressed in his uniform and leaning against his car. It was 7:30 am, and he was waiting for Sylvie and Emily to come downstairs so they could drive to shift together.

He had left last night when Emily had gotten home from Molly’s. It had been late, and Sylvie had fallen asleep in his arms on the couch again, but he had been wide awake, watching her and marveling at how lucky he was. After a quick chat with Emily though, he had carried Sylvie to her bedroom and tucked her in, before leaving for the night. They were doing a lot of things out of order, but maybe he could still hold on to a few of his beliefs. They had all the time in the world, and while he had longed to just slip into bed with her, he had restrained himself.

The front door of the apartment complex opened, and Sylvie and Emily walked outside, chatting animated with their bags hanging over their shoulders. Foster spotted him first, nodding her head at him briefly. It took a second longer for Sylvie to notice him. When she followed her friend’s gaze towards him, a look of surprise crossed her face.

Matt pushed himself off the car, crossing the distance between them. Sylvie’s brain still hadn’t caught up to him standing in front of them, so he leaned down and planted a chaste kiss against her lips, one of his hands coming to rest on her waist.

“Good morning, you two. Ready for the day?” He greeted them, squeezing Sylvie’s hip before pulling back from her. Emily was standing right next to them, after all.

“Matt, what are you doing here?” She asked confused, her forehead wrinkled.

“I’m picking the two of you up and taking you to work,” he informed her, mustering her intently.

“But Emily and I always go to work together,” she answered weakly, the crease on her forehead getting bigger. “It’s kind of our thing, and it’s her last day.”

Emily slung her arm over Sylvie’s shoulder, pulling her head against hers. “I asked him to take us. He’s gonna be your new ride to work from now on, and I thought it might be easier to make the transition as smooth as possible, you know? Start a new tradition while the old one ends.”

Sylvie nodded her head weakly, pulling her friend into a tight hug. Matt could see her trying hard to keep it together, and he felt for her. Losing yet another partner was rough, even if she wouldn’t lose Foster completely from her life.

“Girl, remember what we talked about? No crying. Save that for tomorrow morning,” Emily chastised her friend gently, giving her one tight squeeze before pushing her back a little. “Now I know Casey might not sing loudly in the car with you, but I think he’s a pretty decent replacement.”

“You’re right about the singing, Foster,” Matt confirmed with a huff. “I don’t sing.”

“That’s not entirely true. I’ve heard you sing to Amelia,” Sylvie corrected him in a small voice, looking up to him. The faintest of smiles covered her face, and he counted it as a win. “Thank you, guys, for trying to make this easy on me.”

“You got it, partner. Now let’s go so I’m not late for my last shift,” Emily chuckled, walking past them to the passenger side of his truck.

The three of them settled into his truck with Sylvie in the middle. It was funny how just a few months ago, they had sat in the exact same positions. After Cruz’s wedding, he had hoped things between them would change, and now that they finally had, he still couldn’t believe his luck.

Just like all those months ago, Sylvie rested her head against his shoulder, taking a few deep breaths. He reached a hand out to her thigh, rubbing it gently a few times as he dropped a kiss to her head.

“You ok?”

Lifting her head from his shoulder, she intertwined her fingers with his on her thigh, giving it a squeeze. “I’ll be fine. I’m just glad you’re here with me.”

“There’s no place I’d rather be,” he whispered, but somehow it got to Emily’s ears too.

“Ha! See, he does know some pop culture, Sylvie. If he knows Jess Glynne, you shouldn’t lose all hope for carpool karaoke in the mornings. Maybe you’ll be able to convince him to sing,” Foster shouted triumphally.

“Still not gonna sing, Foster,” he replied with a shake of his head. “You two can go ahead and turn the radio up though, if you want. I think I’ll survive your singing for a day.”

Foster’s hand whipped to the radio, and seconds later the car was filled with loud music that was foreign to Matt’s ears. The dark-haired paramedic immediately joined in to the tune, while Sylvie just hummed along.

A little later, when they reached a red traffic light, he felt Sylvie sneak a kiss onto his cheek, and he turned his head towards her, finding her looking at him with gratitude.

“Thanks, Matt,” she breathed, her hand squeezing his on her thigh.

Blinking gently at her, he squeezed her hand back while pressing a tender kiss to her forehead. 

“Always.”


End file.
